Microsoft .NET Framework

The .NET Framework is the next iteration of Microsoft's platform for developing component-based software. It provides fundamental advances in runtime services for application software. It also supports development of applications that can be free of dependencies on hardware, operating 

system, and language compiler.

This chapter provides an overview of the architecture of the .NET Framework and describes the base features found in the core of its class library.


Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) and Common Language Runtime (CLR)
Common Type System (CTS)
Namespaces
Portions of the CLI
Modules and Assemblies
Global Assembly Cache (GAC)
Comparison of Assemblies, Modules, and Namespaces
Application Domains
Common Language Specification (CLS)
Intermediate Language (IL) and Just-In-Time (JIT) Compilation
Metadata
Memory Management and Garbage Collection
Finalize
Dispose
A Brief Tour of the .NET Framework Namespaces
Configuration File Format
Configuration Section Groups
The <appSettings> Section


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