How .Net Works, And Why It’s Useful to Programmers?
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012.Net has not always been known for how useful and diverse it actually is. At it’s start, it could have been seen as simply a Microsoft version of Java. Nowadays though, it is one of the most widely used platforms for programming.
If you’re new to .NET, you may be confused as to what exactly it is since it’s a little different from its competitors. It shares many characteristics however you can’t really call it a programming language, so what IS it?
It also may be a concern of yours, whether or not to go to the trouble to learn .Net. After all, what certainty is there that it won’t get replaced by another, more popular platform next year?
With so many technical details floating around, it’s also hard to sift through why you would want to use it. You almost need to know it already to answer that question.
Fortunately:
It is much easier to understand .Net than Java because in a way it’s technically simpler. Also, if you were to take a look at certain market place trends, you might see that .Net is likely to stick around for quite some time. It isn’t necessary to sift through thousands of details either, to see why .Net is a good platform to use– because the reason to use it is actually non-technical, believe it or not.
A Little Less Complicated:
Unlike Java, .NET is NOT both a Platform and a Language. Instead .NET is just the platform. What this means is that you can technically write .NET Programs in 100s of different languages. In practice you don’t, but you could.
Also, within .Net’s Platform is where you can find the API’s, in contrast to Java where most API’s are add-ons or separate projects. Essentially, this means you can do common tasks without having to spend unnecessary time and energy searching through Google for external libraries.
About Longevity, the way to tell if .Net will be around for a while, is by looking at whether Microsoft continues to release new versions of it. As long as they are, you have nothing to worry about. That goes for their operating systems too.
Luckily for us, the reason to use .NET is actually the same reason it will be around in 5-10 years. Microsoft has consistently raised the adoption of their .NET platform. They’ve done this through a systematic approach to marketing it, as well as by regularly releasing new functionality that tantalizes both developers and companies that wish to take advantage of it.
Consequentially, developers who use .Net have access to higher rates, as well as peace of mind that the platform they are using is going to deliver what they need.
Let the Facts speak:
Since .NET is a platform and not a Language, you may be wondering how you create programs in it. In 99% of the .NET world the answer to that is C# and/or VB.NET. .NET itself is just the Platform with the capabilities.
Additionally, Microsoft has shown how large a customer base has already transitioned to using .Net, mainly because people have discovered how well the platform works and want to keep using it. As a result, thousands of developers are using .Net to earn their living now, and will continue to be able to do so for a long time.
Wrapping it up:
.Net serves as a Platform.
.Net’s longevity is guaranteed by Microsoft’s investment in it.
And the reason to use it from a developer’s perspective is due to the ongoing support and increased capabilities Microsoft delivers in .NET every year.
Jason Cotton is Certified By Microsoft as a Developer for Applications for three .NET Environments, Web, Windows and Distributed. He’s also written a more detailed 5 part series on What is .NET which you can find on his well organized blog about ASP.NET Tutorials