Introducing .NET : A Platform To Build Everything

Have you ever wondered how an application can be created and used by many people around the world? Actually, there are many tools and methods that can be used to create an application. But according to research from Jetbrains in 2020, there is one of the most popularly used platform, namely the .NET Framework! So, do you know what .NET Framework is and how this platform works at radyadigital.com ?

Let's Find Out More About .NET!

If defined simply, NET (pronounced dot net) is a software development platform that serves as a framework for application development. In .NET there are various kinds of frameworks for application development, ranging from web applications, mobile applications, to Artificial Intelligence applications.

.NET was first released by Microsoft in 2000 under the name .NET 1.0, which is intended to provide a framework for developing applications with Windows operating systems, such as WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation), UWP (Universal Windows Platform), Windows Form and ASP.NET. (web-based applications).

But because of the limitations of applications that can only be compiled and run through the Windows operating system, Microsoft then released .NET Core in 2014 which aims to provide a framework for various operating systems, such as Linux and Mac. In 2016 Microsoft again announced its latest innovation, namely Mono Project which gave birth to Mono for Xamarin so that users can develop native applications from Android and iOS.

.NET Features and Components

To make it easier for platform users, the .NET Framework is equipped with various features that can be used during programming, such as tools for displaying text on the screen, managing files, accessing databases, and other features. One of the most important features is the Common Language Runtime (CLR), which is a virtual machine that provides a runtime environment which is a place where applications run. There are several components of the CLR:

• Garbage Collector (GC)
  Serves to free memory from data that is no longer used in an application
  
• Just-in-Time Compiler (JIT)
  Functions as a compiler that allows applications generated by .NET to be run by the CPU

If you are new to programming, please note that there are hundreds of programming languages used to create applications. Each programming language usually has a data type system that is different and is not compatible with each other. This is where the Common Type System (CTS) and Common Language Specification (CLS) play a role in managing the compilation of program code into a single code unit that is the same as one another:

• Common Type System (CTS)
  Serves to understand all data types from all programming languages available in .NET, then convert them into a common format that can be understood by the CLR or Common Language Specification
  
• Common Language Specification (CLR)
  Serves to convert the syntax rules of programming languages in .NET to a common syntax format. Syntax rules that can be converted to a format that the CLR can understand and execute are called Managed Code, while those that do not produce a common format are called Unmanaged Code which will be managed by the operating system from which the code came from.

 Now,do you understand what .NET is and its functions and uses? If you're feeling confused or overwhelmed, don't worry because we've all been at the same stage. Now is the time for us to learn step by step about the world of programming until we are proficient and ready to be a web or app developer in the future. If you want to learn more about the programming world or just want to know what it's like to work in the IT industry, just take a peek at the Radya Digital Blog!