.NET Framework Class Library Overview

The .NET Framework includes classes, interfaces, and value types that expedite and optimize the development process and provide access to system functionality. To facilitate interoperability between languages, most .NET Framework types are CLS-compliant and can therefore be used from any programming language whose compiler conforms to the common language specification (CLS). The .NET Framework types are the foundation on which .NET applications, components, and controls are built. The .NET Framework includes types that perform the following functions: Represent base data types and exceptions. Encapsulate data structures. Perform I/O. Access information about loaded types. Invoke .NET Framework security checks. Provide data access, rich client-side GUI, and server-controlled, client-side GUI. The .NET Framework provides a rich set of interfaces, as well as abstract and concrete (non-abstract) classes. You can use the concrete classes as is or, in many cases, derive your own classes from them. To use the functionality of an interface, you can either create a class that implements the interface or derive a class from one of the .NET Framework classes that implements the interface.