The .NET Framework

If you are a programmer, the most important element of the Microsoft.NET platform is the .NET Framework. You can think of the .NET Framework as the replacement for Win32. It comprises all the libraries, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and standards that you will use to create software for the .NET platform. Figure 1-3 shows all the major elements in the .NET Framework and how it relates to .NET overall.

If you're thinking that this looks nothing like the Windows API, you're starting to get the idea. The .NET Framework actually has a lot more in common with the Java programming language than it has with the Windows API.