.Net languages

MBDyar

Just looking into the programming field and was wondering what languages are required for the .Net platform? All are used or just a selected few. I am pretty clueless on it all so dumbing it down would be appreciated. Thanks

Psightoplazm

.net just refers to a managed framework and set of libraries. This means that whatever dotnet language you are using to actually write your code in - it will eventually compile down to the same exact thing.

So for example if you have a background using basic languages (apple basic, chipmunk basic, visual basic, dos basic - or whatever) there is a language available that will be easy for you to move into and take advantage of the dotnet environment - Visual Basic .Net

If you come from a C/C++ background you can move into either the managed C++ or C# languages.

All of these access the same libraries and when you compile them, produce the same assemblies (executables or libraries).

What "managed" means is that your code is actually working inside of an extra layer of functionality that either helps or hinders your software.

In most business applications, .net is wonderfull because it manages memory for you, take care of most of your garbage collection, and provides almost every interface or functionality you need to get from point A (your input) to point B (your output). Almost every class or data structure is already thought of for you, and you just have to snap everything together. - it's even powerfull enough to build the services and hosts to go with your client applications.

Where managed environments fail is when working with anything that is truly pushing a computers performance to its limits. So , while there is extensive support for this in .net, anything requiring alot of graphics like video games, or writing something like 3d studio max would be hindered by the overhead that all that extra functionality adds. Also anything requiring really low level like boot code for an OS or something would be impossible using .net.

><//~Psightoplasm`~