Difference Between .NET and ASP.NET

October 2022 · 5 minute read

Software development applications took the world by storm when customized software was developed for a specific purpose. With time, the application frameworks started making the task easier. It makes the entire process of Software development automated. More importantly, designing and testing are done comprehensively to get an optimum result as required by the developer.

At the same time, web applications were also in existence. Dynamic Web pages were developed customarily too.

The codes used in both these applications are more or less similar, of course, there is a vast difference in the technicalities. The two prominent names that come into the picture when we talk about application development is, .NET and ASP.NET.

ASP.NET is a part of the .NET framework, however, there are many differences between them.

.NET vs ASP.NET

The main difference between .NET and ASP.NET is, .NET is a software development framework while ASP.NET is a web development framework. That means to say, .NET helps in creating software applications and also helps in flawless execution while ASP.NET is primarily used for creating web pages.

 

Comparison Table Between .NET and ASP.NET (in Tabular Form)

Parameters of Comparison.NETASP.NET
Meaning/ Definition.NET is a software development framework runs on Microsoft Windows.ASP.NET is an open-source web development framework.
Environment.NET provides an environment to create scalable software applications.ASP.NET provides an environment that helps to create dynamic web pages.
Support.NET offers support to both client-side as well as server-side development.ASP.NET supports Server-side web development.
UsageIt is used to create and change any business application on the Windows platform.It is used to create websites utilizing .NET as the coding language.
Coding LanguageThe code can be written in any language.The code can be written in any .NET compliant languages.
 

What is .NET?

.NET is a versatile software development framework. It is developed by Microsoft.

.NET develops software application that primarily runs on Windows Platform. It has all the required tools with the proper environment to create and deploy software applications.

.NET is a framework that is exclusively designed to develop C#..NET supports other programming languages too

  • C++
  • Visual Basic
  • JavaScript
  • Python

    • There are a few major components of .NET that is available. They are

  • CLR or Common Language Runtime – This is an important element completely responsible for running the programs that are developed in a .NET environment. Additionally, CLR offers security, memory management and also executing the programs.
  • FCL or Framework Class Library: .NET supports many programming languages. FCL helps to write the codes in any of those languages.
  • User Interface and Program Interface: This is one element that provides all the tools to develop applications for Windows Platform.

    • .NET is named for its seamless operation in developing and deploying windows applications. It is preferred for its quick real-time development feature.

    It is advantageous because it supports multiple programming languages. All it needs is Common Language Interpreter and the job is done.

    The versatility of .NET can be seen in the debugging of the program. This is a fabulous feature, where it tests the application real-time.

     

    What is ASP.NET?

    ASP.NET is a part of the .NET framework that is used to develop web applications and web services. ASP.NET is an open-source framework that helps to develop Dynamic Websites.

    ASP.NET has the environment and inbuilt tools to make the website as customised as possible. More importantly, the codes can be written in any .NET compatible coding language.

    There are two types of framework available in ASP.NET.

  • Entity Framework
  • Modular Framework

    • The Modular framework is the recent development, and it is called ASP.NET Core.

    ASP.NET is robust and has a number of specific programming models to develop web applications. It is one of those features that makes it a one-stop solution for developing web services.

    The programming models are

  • ASP.NET MVC: Model, View and Controller design Pattern is used to build web pages
  • ASP.NET Web Pages: Dynamic Code and Data Access can be added inside the HTML markup
  • ASP.NET Webforms: It can help build Modular pages with User Interface events
  • ASP.NET Web API: It helps to develop APIs upon the .NET framework

    • ASP.NET being a part of .NET has vital tools and features to make the web applications more dynamic than ever.

    Main Differences Between .NET and ASP.NET

  • The main difference between .NET and ASP.NET is the type of environment. .NET is used to develop software applications while ASP.NET is an open-source framework used to develop Web Applications.
  • .NET provides the necessary environment and tools to create a scalable software application that can run primarily on Windows while ASP.NET is a tool of .NET that is used to create dynamic websites.
  • .NET can support both in client and server-side while ASP.NET offers server-side application support.
  • .NET can be programmed in various programming languages while ASP.NET can use all the .NET supporting programming languages.
  • .NET can create, debug and recreate software applications with the help of its environment while ASP.NET creates websites that can be customized at will.
    •  

    Conclusion

    .NET and ASP.NET function hand in hand to develop massive applications. The software applications that are developed using .NET has been incorporated by ASP.NET for many web services. The versatility of both frameworks is renowned because of its complete support start to end. The debugging feature of .NET is commendable.

    At the same time, ASP.NET makes the web page light and dynamic. The real-time debugging of the application makes the developer work on it quickly to resolve any issue if arises. .NET is named for its fast development. This can also be attributed to the other programming languages as well as the CLI. Both .NET and ASP.NET has simplified the application development to the world.

    References

  • https://dotnet.microsoft.com/learn/dotnet/what-is-dotnet
  • https://dotnet.microsoft.com/learn/aspnet/what-is-aspnet

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