The .NET Framework is a computing platform developed by Microsoft that simplifies application development in the highly distributed environment of the internet. .NET is much more than just a platform for developing for the internet, but it is intended for this purpose predominantly.

The .NET Framework is made up of two major components: the common language runtime (CLR) and the framework class library (FCL). The CLR is the foundation of the .NET Framework and provides various services that applications can use. The CLR also forms the “environment” that other applications run on. The FCL is a collection of over 7000+ types that cater to all the services, and data structures that applications will ever need.