Desktop Development Services
.NET Framework
The .NET Framework is an integral Windows component that supports building and running the next generation of applications 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 applications, such as Windows-based applications and Web-based applications.
- To build all communication on industry standards to ensure that code based on the .NET Framework can integrate with any other code.
The .NET Framework has two main components: the common language runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework class library, the CLR is the runtime platform responsible to execute any .NET based application (Managed Application) and the .NET Framework class library is the base framework that provides all the components required to develop windows, mobile and web applications.
Windows Forms and GDI+
Windows Forms is a set of classes in the .NET Framework that enables rapid development of rich Windows client applications, with powerful, extensible libraries for user-interface controls and graphics. It is developed based on Windows Graphical User Interface framework.
Window Forms is a mature "forms over data" technology. It has an extensive ecosystem of controls, developers, and vendors that have evolved over the last twenty years of development based on the GDI/GDI32/GDI+ platform.
There are also some features that are unique to this platform. Windows Forms has a wide range of controls for presenting tabular data, for working with system dialogs, for graphics metafiles, and for date, time and calendar support. The rich design surface in Visual Studio allows for rapid construction of LOB applications. It provides extensive support to quickly build data bound applications and to connect to remote data sources.
WPF
WPF is the platform of choice for today’s visually demanding applications with its inherent support of rich media, data visualization, complex text content, dynamic interactive experiences, and branded or custom look and feel. For these types of applications, WPF provides significant advancements in areas such as advanced layout, control skinning and styling, hardware accelerated 2D and 3D animations, and built in support for rendering of rich documents.
WPF is a component of Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0+, empowers you to build the next-generation of Windows user experiences. WPF supports UI, media, documents, hardware acceleration, vector graphics, scalability to different form factors, interactive data visualization, and superior content readability.
WPF and Windows Forms can both be used in a single application since each technology is capable of hosting user interface elements defined by the other. The two platforms have different strengths and can complement each other.