.NET Framework

Microsoft has introduced .NET with the intention of bridging the gap in interoperability between applications. It is designed to make significant improvements in code-reuse, code-specialization, resource management, multi-

language development, security, deployment and administration.

Components of .NET Framework

.Net Framework base classes

.Net class library that works with any .net language such as VB.NET or C#. This class library is built on the object oriented nature of the runtime. It provides classes that can e used in code to accomplish common programming tasks.

Common Language Runtime (CLR)

The CLR is the most essential component of the .NET framework. As like java having its on runtime environment (JRE – java runtime environment), .Net having its own as CLR. Runtime environment basically provides path with which the program can be executed.

The CLR runtime provides functionalities, Such as:

Exception handling
Security
Debugging & Version support to any
language that supports it.

Features provided by CLR:
Automatic memory management
Standard type system
Language
interoperability
Platform independence
Security management
Type safety

Managed Code

The code that is developed with a language compiler that targets the CLR is called Managed Code

Unmanaged Code

The code that is developed without considering the convention and requirements of the CLR is called Unmanaged Code. Unmanaged code runs and executes in CLR with minimal services.For example: Unmanaged code may run with limited debugging and without garbage collection process.
Class LoaderClass loader loads the code in the memory.

Garbage Collection

The automatic memory management scheme employed by the .net framework is called Garbage Collection. The garbage collector continuously traces the out of scope objects in the background and identifies objects that no longer have references.Because the garbage collector is always running, you do not have to explicitly destroy the objects, it will automatically cleaned when you are finished working with them.You can also force the garbage collector to run using System.GC.Collect() method.