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What s New in Microsoft s .NET Framework 3.0?

By Joydip Kanjilal

Microsoft s .NET Framework 3.0 is a combination of the existing .NET Framework 2.0 (you have the Microsoft .NET CLR 2.0, the Microsoft .NET 2.0 Base Class Library, etc.) and the four major newly added components: Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation, and Windows CardSpace. This article explains the new features in .NET Framework 3.0, with a briefing on Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), Windows Workflow Foundation (WF), and Windows CardSpace (WCS).

What Is .NET Framework 3.0?

Microsoft s .NET Framework 3.0 is an extension of the existing Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0. It combines the power of the .NET Framework version 2.0 with new technologies for building applications that have visually compelling user experiences, seamless communication across technology boundaries, and the ability to support a wide range of business processes. This new version of the framework uses the same CLR (i.e., CLR version 2.0) with some new libraries added. There are hardly any notable architectural changes in Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 compared to its earlier counterpart, except that the following components have been incorporated:

• Windows Presentation Foundation
• Windows Communication Foundation
• Windows Workflow Foundation
• Windows CardSpace

Windows Presentation Foundation is a framework that presents 3D advanced graphics to provide a consistent platform for user interfaces. Furthermore, it uses the Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML), an XML-based platform-independent language that enables you to define your user interface declaratively.

Windows Communication Foundation is a service-oriented messaging system that offers you reliable, transacted services. The Windows Communication Foundation supports interoperable communications using the SOAP protocol and offers reliability, security, and transactional support for such communications.

You can use Windows Workflow Foundation for automating tasks using workflows; in essence, defining your business processes. But, what are these tasks, business processes, and workflows? According to the Workflow Management Coalition (WFMC), a business process may be defined as A set of one or more linked procedures or activities which collectively realize a business objective or policy goal, normally within the context of an organizational structure defining functional roles and relationships.

WFMC states that workflow is the automation of a business process, in whole or part, during which documents, information, or tasks are passed from one participant to another for action, according to a set of procedural rules. You can learn more about this in my article Business Process Management: Bridging the Gap between Business and IT.

Windows CardSpace is a software component that securely stores a person s digital identities and provides a unified interface for choosing the identity for a particular transaction, such as logging in to a Web site.

The Microsoft .NET Framework Community says, Use the .NET Framework 3.0 today to build applications that have visually compelling user experiences, seamless communication across technology boundaries, the ability to support a wide range of business processes, and an easier way to manage your personal information online.

Conclusion

Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 is a combination of Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 with four major components: Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation, and Windows CardSpace. Visit http://www.netfx3.com to learn more!

Working extensively in Microsoft technologies for more than 10 years, Joydip Kanjilal is a Senior Technical Leader in the Design and Architecture team for a company in Hyderabad, India. His programming skills include C, C++, Java, C#, VB, VC++, ASP.NET, XML, and UML. An ASP.NET MVP, he has worked with .NET and C# for more than five years. Reach Joydip at mailto:joydipkanjilal@yahoo.com or at his blog at: http://aspadvice.com/blogs/joydip/.