Overview of .NET Framework3.5

Welcome to the Microsoft .NET Framework version 3.5. The .NET Framework is an integral Windows component that supports building and running the next generation of applications and Web services. The key components of the .NET Framework are the common language runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework class library, which includes ADO.NET, ASP.NET, Windows Forms, and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). The .NET Framework provides a managed execution environment, simplified development and deployment, and integration with a wide variety of programming languages. For a brief introduction to the architecture of the .NET Framework, see .NET Framework Conceptual Overview. For a discussion of .NET Framework version 3.5 and its relationship to previous versions of the .NET Framework, see .NET Framework 3.5 Architecture.

The documentation for the .NET Framework includes an extensive class library reference, conceptual overviews, step-by-step procedures, and information about samples, compilers, and command-line tools. To locate the information that interests you, see the following list of main topic areas.