.NET framework development is a product of the Microsoft community.
We have ample of frameworks in the market, currently. Being a developer, before starting a project you should have a sound knowledge of different frameworks. Getting a deep insight into them helps you to select the best framework for your project. Every framework has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and so does a .NET framework. To have a clear view of it you need to be well-versed with its pros and cons as well. Before jumping to the good and the bad of the .NET framework let us know its types:
The Types Of .NET Platforms
The .NET platform is basically an integration of three types or flavors:
- .NET Framework
- .Net core
- Xamarin
What Is A .NET Framework?
.NET is an open-source development framework that has been designed by Microsoft. The main specialties of this framework are the development of web applications. You get to design basically all types of applications using this framework. Do you want to develop an application, based on ASP.NET services? If you are looking for an app developer you can reach out to an ASP.NET development services provider. The .NET framework is embedded with powerful tools and useful features to make the entire cycle of development, testing, and deployment easy for users.
It is one of the oldest frameworks that comprises of three main application models:
- Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF): It is mainly used for the development of websites to create a UI framework.
- Windows Forms: It is also mainly used in the development of websites to input rich graphics.
- ASP.NET Forms: This form revamped the framework applications by introducing its uses in web applications.
A History Of The .NET Framework
Do you want to know the history of the .NET framework? It all started in the mid-90s. Initially, the concept was termed as ‘managed code’. .NET was built mainly to eliminate minor problems as well as to make the entire system more efficient. The launch of the .NET framework happened in 2002. The company expanded and integrated many things within it until now. The latest addition was .NET 5 in 2019. If you are interested in using the .NET framework for your next project, it is recommended that you take the help of dot net development services providers. It is currently the coolest framework and is highly useful for the development of applications on different platforms.
ASP.NET Core
ASP.NET core is an updated version of ASP.NET with lots of flexibility and benefits. This was launched back in 2016. It supports the cross-platform feature. It means that it will not be restricted only to Windows, and you can run it on macOS, Linux, or any other platform. It has many more features.
Xamarin
Xamarin has been introduced to revolutionize mobile applications and mac products. It is also an open-source .NET platform. It was acquired by Microsoft back in 2016 and the company was found five years before that in 2011. It allows us to easily develop an application. You can use Xamarin to build a native application, a mobile application, an iOS application, and a Windows application. A developer has to be an expert in only one programming language, that is c#, to develop the applications and use them on any platform. Xamarin has a wide community of more than 1.4 million developers.
.NET Standard
The Microsoft .NET standard was introduced by 2016. Initially, it was used as a platform to develop an application in a runtime environment. Sharing information through the .NET standard was considered essential to make all platforms .NET standard compliant. The .NET standard basically provides an API specification.
A Few Things You Need To Know About The .NET Framework
- Intro: The .NET framework is pronounced as “dot net”. It includes many editors, libraries, and coding languages. It is an open-source framework. In an open-source ecosystem, code is completely accessible, unlike closed source. Microsoft technology associates are highly qualified and certified professionals who have been working for years with the .NET framework. If you want to build your upcoming project in the .NET framework you can take the help of tech experts.
- Use Of Advanced Technology: Advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things and Cloud are being used while working from .NET applications. With the increasing innovation in technology, most of the platforms try to integrate it to make a project the best. IoT is one of the best technologies that can be used to make an application more useful and user-friendly. Cloud service plays a great role in management and access to business documents and projects. Are you facing any issue in integrating IoT into your dot net application? If yes, then it is recommended that you contact an ASP.NET development services provider. Here, service providers have a better perspective of users' needs as well as the best feature of the .NET framework.
- Programming Languages: The .NET framework supports many programming languages, around 32 to be precise. It works as a full-stack that supports both the front-end as well as the back-end programming language. Here, we will see some of the main programming languages:
- C#
- F#
- Visual basics
Other languages are Boo, Cobra, Phantom, Python, Oxygen, Sharp, etc.
- Security: A survey says that the vulnerability density of Java is 30.0 whereas that of .NET is 27.2. Security is one of the most important factors when it comes to digital work. The .NET framework is said to be more secure than Java. Security aligns with the trust of users. The more secure a platform is, the safer a user will feel to use it. This is the reason that the .NET framework is highly used in the banking and financial sectors.
The Good Of The .NET Framework
Object-Oriented Software Development Model
.NET is based on the object-oriented programming language. OOP is one of the best things about the good of the .NET framework. In the .NET framework, the object is divided into smaller chunks. This facilitates developers to work on one chunk at a time. This allows them to perform tasks effectively.
Reliable Caching System
The .NET framework has one of the simplest and most reliable caching systems. Here, it is easy to store data. It is easy to deliver a customized service. It remarkably improves the performance of the developer. The .NET framework is designed in a way that developers need not build an application again and again from scratch.
Visual Studio IDE
Visual Studio is one of the best tools that are present in the .NET framework. Visual Studio is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). It makes the entire process of development, testing, and deployment easy for developers. It enables hassle-free development. You can publish your application across multiple platforms using this tool.
Cross-Platform Feature
Initially, this feature was not available, but with the launch of ASP.NET core framework. the cross-platform feature was introduced. It allows you to use an application on any platform. Suppose an application was developed on Windows. Single source code is enough to use it on different platforms such as macOS and Linux. Sharepoint development services help to organize, build, and communicate with people. You can look up to these services to give that much-needed boost to your business.
Automatic Monitoring
Coding is a complex process. Human error is inevitable. If by any chance something goes wrong, the whole work suffers. So, to avoid this, the .net framework supports automatic monitoring.
Great Library
The .NET family has numerous highly useful libraries embedded in it. It is easy for developers to design a new application. Developers do not have to build everything from scratch again.
Bigger Community
.NET was made as an open-source framework by Microsoft. This immensely increased its number of users. .NET has created a bigger community. The products and services are always appreciated.
Flexible Deployment And Easy Maintenance
.NET has great development tools. These highly useful tools make the deployment as well as maintenance easier. It is easy to fix the bug. It gives the flexibility to take applications apart, fix the issue, and put them together. Sitecore development is an impactful platform where enterprises can enhance their business activities. If you are interested in using Sitecore tools, you can take the help of the Sitecore managed services.
Let us have a look at the role of .NET in business application development:
- Security And Safety: The .NET framework has been widely embraced by the government as well as MNCs. Great software like ASP.NET and servers like SQL help to use this great framework for different business purposes ranging from education and finance to others. ASP helps to improve the security of an application. It uses managed code and CRL to improve security. The .NET framework gives developers the flexibility to use any language and run on any platform.
- Quality: in business, quality service is always appreciated. One of the best advantages of the .NET framework is its quality service. It gives a remarkable user experience and is assisting different companies to grow digitally.
- Requires Less Coding: As mentioned earlier, it supports OOP. OOP helps to remove unnecessary codes. Hence, the user can use the code again and again. Once you write code, you do not have to start from scratch again.
- Easy Deployment: The .NET framework helps to write clean and clear code as well as is quick to notice any defect. This helps in the easy deployment of an application. It has many elements, controlled code sharing, and a side-by-side version, which makes the prices simpler.
- Faster Development: The .NET framework is loaded with many features and multiple tools. This makes the entire cycle easier as well as helps in the rapid development of the application. It is necessary to follow an active way of collaboration to enhance business activities. Are you looking for any such help? You can reach out to a SharePoint Application development services provider. It not only helps to increase the customer service but also increases employee efficiency.
- Interoperability: Microsoftkeeps updating its Windows in order to integrate it with new technologies. The Azure suite helps significantly to enhance the management of a business. Recently it updated Windows to make it compatible with the Internet of Things.
- Better MVC: ASP.NETMVC helps developers to create robust interactive applications. It includes several options and pattern-based modification to create the best quality application.
Read the blog- Sitecore AI – Auto Personalization Was Developed And Refined Through A Pilot Program Conducted With Microsoft
- Great UI Control: Microsoft provides the .NET framework with a great inbuilt UI to enhance the application. It also allows us to get access to third-party controls in order to make an application the best one. Telerik is one of the third-party controls that make the drag and drops easier and hence save time for developers.
The Bad Of The .NET Framework
A coin has two sides, and so does the .NET framework. .NET is one of the strongest engineering platforms out there but it also has some disadvantages:
- Limited Object-Relational Support: Updates are very common and are needed for any tech sector products. The issue arises when updates do not let the previous version emerge. If some changes are made in the database and the design, it does not support the initial version and works only in emerging ones.
- Vendor Lock-In: The .NET framework is bought by Microsoft. This means that the entire project is in the hands of Microsoft. Here, developers do not get the whole and sole control of the application, and have to comply with the Microsoft rules.
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- Licensing Cost: The .NET framework is an open-source framework, yet sometimes when the size of the project is big and complex, licensing becomes costly. Microsoft offers lots of tools to ease the work. One of the costliest affairs is working with Visual Studio IDE. It costs $539/year for one developer. Do you want to use the .NET framework and integrate all the best features into your application? You can reach out to a dot net development services provider.
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- The Gap Between Release And Stability: The .NET framework is not known for providing new support and updates. Here, whenever any updates are done, it lacks support. According to one Y Combinator user, “My problem with these kinds of Microsoft technology evangelism articles/videos is that it always seems as though Microsoft has just gotten their new hotness to work and is telling the world that it is awesome and ready for production. Then you have to implement it and as soon as you leave the perfect world of their demo, it all falls apart, and then you find out that the docs were written for the beta version and no longer apply.”
Why Use .NET
Seeing the increasing craze towards the digital expansion of business, .NET has proved to be one of the best frameworks. We have multiple reasons to use this framework, and some of the important ones are mentioned below:
- Easy To Redesign: The .NET framework provides the facility to redesign an application. It is one of the most useful features of the .NET framework. The developer does not need to start from scratch whenever any adjustment or a new product is required.
- Wide Range Of Tools: .NET development is embedded with highly powerful tools. Microsoft provides a range of tools that can be used to simplify the work and increase efficiency. Do you want to use the .NET framework for your next project or are you interested in using Sitecore tools? You can take the help of Sitecore CMS development services.
Read the blog- Microsoft Azure Cloud Computing Services – How It Helps Enterprises
- Cross-Platform Application: Another best reason why you should use the .NET framework in your next project is its cross-platform features. The .NET framework can run on different platforms. A developer can just create the code for Windows, and it will appear for platforms such as macOS and Linux. If you are looking for an application that can easily run on different platforms, .NET is the best option.
What Makes The .NET Framework The Most Desirable Framework?
- Has been helping to take businesses to greater heights by developing websites and web applications for them.
- Is one of the best platforms for companies, enterprises, or firms.
- Is embedded with rich features that help in developing great APIs.
- A survey says C# is in the 4th position in terms of the popularity of programming languages. The .NET framework majorly uses C#.
- Developers can reuse the code and construct any kind of applications irrespective of its complexity.
- A 2019 survey says it is the most loved and wanted framework amid developers. In 2018 it was in the 4th position.
- In recent research, it is displayed that currently, .NET is supporting 44 programming languages. Initially, it was 32.
- The .NET framework is reliable, compatible, scalable, and secure. These four features make it the most desirable framework.
Final Note
.NET framework development is highly in demand due to its numerous advantages. It is an open-source framework by the Microsoft community. It has numerous advantages but a few disadvantages as well.
Here, we have discussed what the .NET framework is, it’s various forms, and advantages as well as disadvantages. The .NET family consists of many members such as Xamarin, .NET standard, ASP.NET, ASP. NET core, huge libraries, and tools. It is high time that you use the .NET framework in a project and makes the best use of its features. If you are thinking of using the .NET framework, go ahead, it is a great idea. Do you need any help with the entire process? You can contact Microsoft technology associates.