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Getting Started
Overview
The .NET Framework and Out-of-Band Releases
.NET Core and Open-Source
System Requirements
Get started with the .NET Framework
4/3/2018 • 6 min to read • Edit Online
The .NET Framework is a runtime execution environment that manages apps that target the .NET Framework. It
consists of the common language runtime, which provides memory management and other system services, and
an extensive class library, which enables programmers to take advantage of robust, reliable code for all major
areas of app development.
NOTE
The .NET Framework is available on Windows systems only. You can use .NET Core to run apps on Windows, MacOS, and
Linux.
Related topics
TITLE DESCRIPTION
The .NET Framework and Out-of-Band Releases Describes the .NET Framework out of band releases and how
to use them in your app.
System Requirements Lists the hardware and software requirements for running the
.NET Framework.
.NET Core and Open-Source Describes .NET Core in relation to the .NET Framework and
how to access the open-source .NET Core projects.
.NET Core documentation Provides the conceptual and API reference documentation for
.NET Core.
See also
.NET Framework Guide
What's New
.NET API Browser
Development Guide
Overview of the .NET Framework
4/3/2018 • 6 min to read • Edit Online
The .NET Framework is a technology that supports building and running the next generation of apps and XML Web
services. The .NET Framework is designed to fulfill the following objectives:
To provide a consistent object-oriented programming environment whether object code is stored and
executed locally, executed locally but Internet-distributed, or executed remotely.
To provide a code-execution environment that minimizes software deployment and versioning conflicts.
To provide a code-execution environment that promotes safe execution of code, including code created by
an unknown or semi-trusted third party.
To provide a code-execution environment that eliminates the performance problems of scripted or
interpreted environments.
To make the developer experience consistent across widely varying types of apps, such as Windows-based
apps and Web-based apps.
To build all communication on industry standards to ensure that code based on the .NET Framework
integrates with any other code.
NOTE
For a general introduction to the .NET Framework for both users and developers, see Getting Started.
The .NET Framework consists of the common language runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework class library. The
common language runtime is the foundation of the .NET Framework. Think of the runtime as an agent that
manages code at execution time, providing core services such as memory management, thread management, and
remoting, while also enforcing strict type safety and other forms of code accuracy that promote security and
robustness. In fact, the concept of code management is a fundamental principle of the runtime. Code that targets
the runtime is known as managed code, while code that doesn't target the runtime is known as unmanaged code.
The class library is a comprehensive, object-oriented collection of reusable types that you use to develop apps
ranging from traditional command-line or graphical user interface (GUI) apps to apps based on the latest
innovations provided by ASP.NET, such as Web Forms and XML Web services.
The .NET Framework can be hosted by unmanaged components that load the common language runtime into their
processes and initiate the execution of managed code, thereby creating a software environment that exploits both
managed and unmanaged features. The .NET Framework not only provides several runtime hosts but also supports
the development of third-party runtime hosts.
For example, ASP.NET hosts the runtime to provide a scalable, server-side environment for managed code. ASP.NET
works directly with the runtime to enable ASP.NET apps and XML Web services, both of which are discussed later in
this topic.
Internet Explorer is an example of an unmanaged app that hosts the runtime (in the form of a MIME type
extension). Using Internet Explorer to host the runtime enables you to embed managed components or Windows
Forms controls in HTML documents. Hosting the runtime in this way makes managed mobile code possible, but
with significant improvements that only managed code offers, such as semi-trusted execution and isolated file
storage.
The following illustration shows the relationship of the common language runtime and the class library to your
apps and to the overall system. The illustration also shows how managed code operates within a larger
architecture.
See also
System Requirements
Installation guide
Development Guide
Tools
.NET Framework Samples
.NET Framework Class Library
The .NET Framework and Out-of-Band Releases
4/3/2018 • 2 min to read • Edit Online
The .NET Framework is evolving to accommodate different platforms such as Windows Phone and Windows Store
apps as well as traditional desktop and web apps, and to maximize code reuse. In addition to our regular .NET
Framework releases, we release new features out of band (OOB) to improve cross-platform development or to
introduce new functionality. This topic discusses the future direction of the .NET Framework and its OOB releases.
See Also
Getting Started
.NET Core and Open-Source
4/3/2018 • 2 min to read • Edit Online
This topic provides a brief overview of what .NET Core is and shows how you can find more information. To find the
complete list of topics for .NET Core, visit the .NET Core Guide.
See Also
.NET Core homepage
.NET Core Guide
ASP.NET Core Documentation
.NET Framework system requirements
4/3/2018 • 4 min to read • Edit Online
The tables in this topic provide the hardware, operating system, and software requirements for the following .NET
Framework versions:
.NET Framework 4.5 and its point releases (4.5.1 and 4.5.2).
.NET Framework 4.6 and its point releases (4.6.1 and 4.6.2).
.NET Framework 4.7 and its point release (4.7.1).
Development environments that enable you to develop apps for the .NET Framework have a separate set of
requirements.
IMPORTANT
All .NET Framework versions since .NET Framework 4 are in-place updates, so only a single 4.x version can be present on a
system. In addition, particular versions of the .NET Framework are pre-installed on some versions of the Windows operating
system. This means that:
If there's a later 4.x version installed on the machine already, you can't install a previous 4.x version.
If the OS comes pre-installed with a particular .NET Framework version, you can't install a previous 4.x version on the
same machine.
If you install a later version, you don't have to first uninstall the previous version.
For download information and links, see Install the .NET Framework for developers.
For information on the support lifecycle of .NET Framework versions, see Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
Hardware requirements
Processor 1 GHz
RAM 512 MB
32-bit 4.5 GB
64-bit 4.5 GB
Installation requirements
The .NET Framework requires administrator privileges for installation. If you don't have administrator rights to the
computer where you'd like to install the .NET Framework, contact your network administrator.
Windows 10 Creators 32-bit and 64-bit .NET Framework 4.7 .NET Framework 4.7.1
Update
Windows 10 Anniversary 32-bit and 64-bit .NET Framework 4.6.2 .NET Framework 4.7
Update
.NET Framework 4.7.1
Windows 10 November 32-bit and 64-bit .NET Framework 4.6.1 .NET Framework 4.6.2
Update
Windows 10 32-bit and 64-bit .NET Framework 4.6 .NET Framework 4.6.1
Windows 8.1 32-bit, 64-bit, and ARM .NET Framework 4.5.1 .NET Framework 4.5.2
Windows 8 32-bit, 64-bit, and ARM .NET Framework 4.5 .NET Framework 4.5.1
Notes:
On Windows 7 systems, the .NET Framework requires Windows 7 SP1. If you're on Windows 7 and haven't
yet installed Service Pack 1, you need to do so before installing the .NET Framework.
The .NET Framework 4.5 is supported on the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE). Not all
features are supported on Windows PE.
The .NET Framework 4 also supports the IA64 platform.
For all platforms, we recommend that you upgrade to the latest Windows Service Pack and install critical
updates available from the Windows Update website to ensure the best compatibility and security.
On 64-bit operating systems, the .NET Framework supports both WOW64 (32-bit processing on a 64-bit
machine) and native 64-bit processing.
Windows Server 2016 64-bit .NET Framework 4.6.2 .NET Framework 4.7
Windows Server 2012 R2 64-bit .NET Framework 4.5.1 .NET Framework 4.5.2
Windows Server 2012 (64- 64-bit .NET Framework 4.5 .NET Framework 4.5.1
bit edition)
.NET Framework 4.5.2
Notes:
Windows Server 2012 includes the .NET Framework 4.5, so you don't have to install it separately. Similarly,
Windows Server 2012 R2 includes the .NET Framework 4.5.1.
The .NET Framework has limited support for the Server Core Role with Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 or
later. See Server Core .NET Functionality for a list of unsupported APIs.
The .NET Framework isn't supported on Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems.
On Windows Server 2008 SP2, the .NET Framework is not supported in the Server Core Role.
For all platforms, we recommend that you upgrade to the latest Windows Service Pack and critical updates
available from the Windows Update website to ensure the best compatibility and security. Installation of the
latest Windows Service Pack may be required on some operating systems.
On 64-bit operating systems, the .NET Framework supports both WOW64 (32-bit processing on a 64-bit
machine) and native 64-bit processing.
See also
Installation Guide
Getting Started
Troubleshoot blocked .NET Framework installations and uninstallations