What is Microsoft® .NET?

Microsoft® .NET is software that connects information, people, systems, and devices. With .NET your organization will achieve better results through integration—inside your corporate walls and with suppliers and customers. The ultimate goal of Microsoft® .NET is to empower people—through great software delivered anytime, at any place, and on any device. 

Microsoft® .NET encompasses the following four areas:

The .NET Framework — the .NET runtime environment
Microsoft® Visual Studio® .NET — the development environment for building .NET Applications
.NET Servers that run, operate, and manage .NET Applications
Client software and operating systems that enable the delivery of .NET Applications

What is the .NET Framework?

The .NET Framework is the runtime engine that executes all Web Applications, smart Client/Server Applications, and Web Services that are built for .NET. It manages all runtime services—language integration, security enforcement, memory, and thread management—enabling developers to focus on writing only the business logic code for their .NET Applications. 

What are the key benefits of Microsoft® .NET?

The Key Benefits of Microsoft® .NET include:

Development of Web Services, Web Applications, Client/Server Applications and Mobile Applications, within the same development environment
Use of any compliant programming language
Elimination of "DLL Hell"
Truly object-oriented code
Outstanding support for Extensible Markup Language (XML)
Advanced support for multi-threading
Structured error handling
Enhanced code security