.NET Framework is a run-time execution environment that manages apps that target .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.

.NET Framework is a managed execution environment for Windows that provides a variety of services to its running apps. It consists of two major components: the common language runtime (CLR), which is the execution engine that handles running apps, and the .NET Framework Class Library, which provides a library of tested, reusable code that developers can call from their own apps. The services that .NET Framework provides to running apps include the following:

If you don't develop .NET Framework apps, but you use them, you aren't required to have specific knowledge about .NET Framework or its operation. For the most part, the framework is completely transparent to users.

If you're a developer, choose any programming language that supports .NET Framework to create your apps. Because .NET Framework provides language independence and interoperability, you interact with other .NET Framework apps and components regardless of the language with which they were developed.