.net Framework 4.0 - A dotNet Revolution

On 12 April 2010, Microsoft released the final version of .net Framework 4.0 . Actually with Framework 3.5 Microsoft has already passed a long way. Fw 3.5 had lots of improvements, new technologies, concepts and a much better framework architecture. But there is more with Fw. 4.0..

Personally I beleive Fw 3.5 was the revolution of .net technology. Weeks after the release of Fw. 3.5, news and stories about Fw 4.0 have appeared and I got pretty surprised. Usually Microsoft brings new revolutionary changes step by step in long terms. But the news about Fw. 4.0 were so surprising. When beta version of Fw. 4.0 appeared my hopes and beleif on .net technology got bigger alot. 

dotNet Framework 4.0 is a revolution

Basically Framework 4.0 brought much more ! It includes great improvements and new technologies that increase the stability and safety of software engineering. And absolutely making the development and coding processes of software programming easier than before. Especially I am impressed with the Entity Framework alot.  I am going to write a new post about EF soon.

Here I want to talk about the new features of Fw. 4.0. So what is new with Framework 4.0 ?

• Improved Security (Check Reference [4] to see security changes in Fw. 4.0)
• Improved Stability
• Better Standarts
• New Types and Members (Check Ref. [5] to see lists of new namespaces, new types, and new members added to existing types.)
• Application Compatibility and Deployment
• Core New Features and Improvements
• Managed Extensibility Framework
• Parallel Computing
• Networking
• Web
• Client
• Data
• Windows Communication Foundation
• Windows Workflow Foundation

Details 


Application Compatibility and Deployment


More compatible with apps that are built with previous frameworks.
Improved Client Profile (supports more platforms)
In Process Side by Side Execution (load and start multiple versions of the .NET Framework in the same process. ) Check Ref [6]


Core New Features and Improvements


Diagnostics and Performance
Globalization
Garbage Collection
Code Contracts
Design-Time-Only Interop Assemblies
Dynamic Language Runtime
Covariance and Contravariance
BigInteger and Complex Numbers
Tuples
File System Enumeration Improvements
Memory-Mapped Files
64-Bit Operating Systems and Processes
And more features. Check Ref [1]


Managed Extensibility Framework

The Managed Extensibility Framework (MEF) is a new library in the .NET Framework 4 that helps you build extensible and composable applications. MEF enables you to specify points where an application can be extended, to expose services to offer to other extensible applications and to create parts for consumption by extensible applications. 

Parallel Computing

Parallel Extensions to improve support for parallel computing, which target multi-core or distributed systems. To this end, they plan to include technologies like PLINQ (Parallel LINQ), a parallel implementation of the LINQ engine, and Task Parallel Library, which exposes parallel constructs via method calls. Check Ref [7]

Networking

Check Ref [1] for improved/new features.

Web

Check Ref[8] to see What's New in ASP.NET 4 and Visual Web Developer. Especially MVC (Model-View Controller) pattern shines here.

Client

Check Ref [1] to see the details.

Data

ADO.net, dynamic data, WCF Data Services, Linq, the Entity Framework..etc Check Ref [1] to see the details.

Windows Communication Foundation

I can say ; WCF 4 is totally improved and includes new technologies. Check Ref [9] to see the details.

Windows Workflow Foundation


Check Ref [10] to see the details.

Last but not the least


I am rather impressed with Framework 4.0 and Microsoft increased his vision a lot with this step. There are lots of new technologies with Fw. 4.0. I will keep posting about the new features in my blog.


The MSDN includes all details of the changes and new technologies. I recommend you to read What's New in the .NET Framework 4 article in MSDN (Ref [1]). Then take a look at .NET Framework Conceptual Overview article.(Ref [11])


References :

[1]  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms171868.aspx
[2]  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/zw4w595w.aspx
[3]  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff652744.aspx
[4]  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd233103.aspx
[5]  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff641764.aspx
[6]  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee518876.aspx
[7]  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework#.NET_Framework_4
[8] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/s57a598e.aspx
[9] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd456789.aspx
[10] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd489410.aspx
[11] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/zw4w595w.aspx