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.NET Framework and .NET SDKs

The .NET Framework is the easiest way to build apps on the Microsoft platform. You can download Visual Studio Express for free, and be coding in just a few minutes. You can also use the .NET SDKs and targeting packs to build apps for a given Microsoft platform, such as Microsoft Azure.

.NET Framework Downloads

.NET Framework 4.6 Preview
.NET Framework 4.5.1
.NET Framework 4.0
.NET Framework 3.5 SP1
.NET NuGet packages
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Visual Studio Express (free)

Windows 8
Windows Desktop
Windows Phone
Web and Azure
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What's New with .NET Framework

.NET Framework and .NET SDK Downloads

Advisory Council Proposal -- Call for Community Feedback Extended to December 5th
This is a cross post from the .NET Foundation blog and written by Gianugo Rabellino. --Immo The increased openness of .NET has sparked widespread inte... more
One Week of Open Source
Last Wednesday, we announced the new .NET 2015 Preview and our plans to fully open source .NET Core. What an awesome week! Thank you! We knew that you... more
New Features in C# 6
C# 6 is the version of C# that ships with VS 2015 Preview. The philosophy behind this version is straightforward: improve simple everyday coding scena... more
Post-Release Goodies
The Rosetta lander Philae wasn't the only thing in space last week. Our launch of Visual Studio 2015 Preview and our announcement to open source the ... more

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.NET Compiler Platform ("Roslyn")

The .NET Compiler Platform ("Roslyn") provides open-source C# and Visual Basic compilers with rich code analysis APIs. You can build code analysis tools with the same APIs that Microsoft is using to implement Visual Studio!

Microsoft .NET Native

.NET Native compiles C# to native machine code that performs like C++. You will continue to benefit from the productivity and familiarity of the .NET Framework with the great performance of native code. Popular Windows Store apps start up to 60% faster and use 15-20% less memory when compiled with .NET Native.

.NET Framework Development Guide

Learn how to create, configure, debug, secure, and deploy your .NET Framework apps with our roadmap. Check out the how-to and walkthrough directory to find the code examples that you need. Also learn how to write cross-platform libraries with Portable Class Libraries.

What’s New in the .NET Framework 4.5

Read about the many new features and enhancements, including the new asynchronous programming model, the new HTTP API, Workflow authoring and versioning enhancements, and support for creating Windows Store apps.

Developing Apps for Microsoft Platforms

Visit MSDN to learn about creating apps that build your business, for Windows Store, Windows Phone, and Microsoft Azure.

.NET SDK Downloads

Visual Studio 2013

Visual Studio 2012

Visual Studio 2010

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