.NET Micro Framework Platform SDK

The Microsoft® .NET Micro Framework is a powerful and flexible platform for rapidly creating embedded device firmware with Microsoft Visual Studio®.

You can now develop firmware for devices that are too constrained to run Microsoft Windows® CE and the .NET Compact Framework. With the .NET Micro Framework, you can use Visual Studio to write, test, and debug software on your hardware just as you would when developing software for the .NET Framework or the .NET Compact Framework.

.NET Micro Framework brings essential benefits of the Microsoft .NET platform to devices that do not need the full functionality that is available in the .NET Framework and the .NET Compact Framework. Our target is devices that operate below the functionality range of those for which software developers typically use the .NET Compact Framework to develop embedded applications.

The architecture of the .NET Micro Framework provides you with the tools necessary to develop your firmware as managed C# applications. It does this by making use of specialized versions of the .NET common language runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework class library. For details, see .NET Micro Framework Architecture and .NET Micro Framework Programming Model.

Note

This documentation is for use with the .NET Micro Framework SDK version 4.0.

In This Section

  • Legal Notice
    This section provides a list of trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

  • What's New in the .NET Micro Framework Platform SDK
    Each release of the .NET Micro Framework provides new and improved features, added in response to current market needs. These enhancements help simplify your design or development tasks and improve your results.

  • Quick Start Guide
    This Quick Start Guide provides a brief introduction to the Microsoft® .NET Micro Framework Platform SDK.

  • Overviews of the .NET Micro Framework
    Architecture, global applications, managed drivers, web services, and SSL connections are a few of the many essential areas where understanding is crucial to a rapid and successful development of your .NET Micro Framework devices. This developer's guide gives you an overview of the Microsoft® .NET Micro Framework.

  • API Reference for .NET Micro Framework
    The class library for the Microsoft® .NET Micro Framework SDK contains some namespaces that match those in the desktop version of .NET, and some unique namespaces.

  • Tools
    Emulate a development environment, transfer your application to your hardware device, and create a user interface with these tools designed for .NET Micro Framework.

  • Samples
    The samples included with the .NET Micro Framework provide illustration and instruction on various aspects of the .NET Micro Framework.

  • Glossary
    This glossary provides a list of terms used in the .NET Micro Framework documentation.