Note The following content applies to .NET Framework only. LabVIEW has been gradually adding support for .NET Core since LabVIEW 2024 Q3. Refer to LabVIEW New Features and Changes for specific .NET Core support added in different releases.

Understanding the components of the .NET environment is helpful for understanding how the .NET works as well as for ensuring that your computer is prepared to use .NET Framework with LabVIEW. After learning about the basic components of the .NET environment, verify that the .NET environment on your computer meets the minimum requirements for using .NET with LabVIEW.

The .NET Framework environment consists of the following items:

  • .NET Framework —The collective term for the Common Language Runtime and the class libraries that compose a specific version of .NET Framework.
  • Common Language Runtime (CLR) —An execution system that is responsible for loading and running .NET Framework assemblies. The CLR provides run-time services such as language integration, security enforcement, memory, garbage collection, process management, and thread management. To help .NET Framework communicate with various programs, the CLR provides a data type system that supports multiple programming languages and operating systems. Developers then can view the system as a collection of data types and objects rather than as a collection of memory and threads. The CLR requires compilers and linkers to generate information in the CLR intermediate language (IL) metadata format. All .NET Framework programming language compilers generate CLR IL code rather than assembly code.
  • Class Libraries —A set of classes that provides standard functionality such as input/output, string manipulation, security management, network communications, thread management, text management, and user interface design. These classes provide the same functionality as the Win32/COM system. In the .NET Framework, you can use classes created in one .NET Framework language in another .NET Framework language.
  • Assemblies —A unit of deployment similar to a DLL, OCX, or executable for a component in COM. Assemblies are DLLs and executables you build using a .NET Framework compiler. Assemblies can consist of a single file or multiple files. An assembly includes a manifest that contains information about the assembly name, version, publisher security, files that make up the assembly, dependent assemblies, resources, and exported data types.
  • Global Assembly Cache (GAC) —A listing of the public assemblies available on the system. The GAC is analogous to the registry that COM uses.