The main purpose of this book is not to function as a book on toolset design, but rather on implementation issues facing tools developers. In order to properly illustrate some techniques discussed later on in this book, the chapters in this part focus on design fundamentals and tools discussion to help introduce you to the concepts behind tools development. The chapters in this part cover many of the core aspects and fundamentals of toolset design, including defining what a toolset is, common applications, describing why flexible and reusable tools are important, and also discussing a few commercial toolsets that have shipped with titles.

Also covered are some techniques and approaches used to properly design and manage the development of a toolset. The common life cycle of development is explained, summarizing the four phases of the “waterfall” methodology; planning, analysis, design, and implementation. There are also a number of .NET-specific topics that cover everything from coding conventions to architecture implementation. There is also a chapter that describes what unit testing is, and how to perform unit testing in C#.NET.

It is important to recognize that there is never a single way to approach and solve a problem, as successful resolutions are dependent on the context of the problem. However, it is important to understand a variety of methodologies and techniques in order to identify a proper solution to a problem. Some solutions follow the “mop it” approach, which entails treating, tolerating, or redirecting the problem. The “mop it” approach can be described like a water leak, where instead of fixing the leak, you mop up the water. Other solutions follow the “stop it” approach, which entails preventing, eliminating, or reducing the problem. Whatever solution your resources allow, many of the chapters in this part can help you in reaching your goal.