Getting Started with Visual Studio.Net

Visual Studio.Net is a comprehensive Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that is extensively used to develop ASP.Net web applications. In addition, it allows you to create standalone applications, mobile applications and eXtensible Markup Language (XML) Web Services. Visual Studio.Net provides a common platform to build, compile, and run an application. Visual Studio.Net comes with .Net Framework that allows you to install Common Language Runtime (CLR), class libraries, and ASP.NET. Visual Studio.Net has drag-and-drop capabilities for all the controls that make it user-friendly.

Visual Studio.Net comes in three editions: Professional, Enterprise Developer, and Enterprise Architect. The Professional edition helps you to easily build and deploy Windows, Web, and Mobile applications. The Professional edition, that has built-in ADO.NET and Visual Database Tools, provide support for the creation of professional data-driven software. The Enterprise Developer allows you to use the .NET Framework and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 to develop distributed applications with improved deployment capabilities, security, reliability, and performance.

As Visual Studio.Net includes Common Language Runtime engine, the applications in Visual Studio.Net are language independent and platform independent. You can program the applications with languages such as Visual Basic.Net, Visual C#.Net, Visual C++.Net, and Visual J#.Net. In addition you can use languages such as COBOL, FORTRAN, Java, Eiffel, and Mercury in your applications. You can also use scripting languages such as VBScript and JavaScript.

Visual Studio.Net 2003 now has some of the advanced features such as integration with .Net Compact Framework, support for latest web services, and integration with Enterprise Instrumentation Framework. The integration with .Net Compact Framework allows you to develop and deploy applications for smart devices. Visual Studio.Net 2003 supports some of the most advanced web services such as WS-Routing, WS-Security, WS-Attachments, and Direct Internet Message Encapsulation. Similarly, the integration of Enterprise Instrumentation Framework with Visual Studio.Net 2003 allows you to monitor the application while you run it.

All the features mentioned above are available in all the editions of Visual Studio.Net. For the integration of Enterprise Instrumentation Framework, you have to download it from MSDN.

To access online version of the above article, go to http://www.dotnet-guide.com/visualstudio.html


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