Introduction 

This tutorial is intended to newcomers to the .NET platform in general and willing to understand the basic framework of .NET supporting XML WEB services.

Before .NET was officially released it was known as “NGWS-Next Generation Windows Services” because this was a project for Microsoft's plans for producing an "Internet-based platform of Next Generation Windows Services". 

.NET is a platform like Java and Java Virtual Machine for producing "managed code"....meaning code that is pseudo-compiled down to a platform independent state that is then interpreted at execution time in an interpreter.   Like Java, .NET has for its featured language C# a large class library that is called “Framework Class Library”. “Common Language Runtime” also known as CLR takes care of running the code that is generated by all .NET supported languages – C#, VB. Managed C++ etc.

XML Web Services is a new technology promoted mainly by Microsoft that will result in modular Server components on the Web based on application functionality. One service may take help from other services over the Internet to finally serve the client known as “Consumer”. .NET platform makes the development and deployment of Web Services very easy and efficient.

.NET XML Web Service is based on existing internet standards like:

·        HTTP, the communication protocol between Internet Applications

·        XML, the format for exchanging data between Internet Applications

·        SOAP, the standard format for requesting Web Services

·        UDDI, the standard to search and discover Web Services

.NET Framework

The .NET Framework is the infrastructure for the new Microsoft .NET Platform. 

The .NET Framework is a common environment for building, deploying, and running Web Services and Web Applications.

The .NET Framework contains common class libraries - like ADO.NET, ASP.NET and Windows Forms - to provide advanced standard services that can be integrated into a variety of computer systems.

The .NET Framework is language neutral. Currently it supports C++, C#, Visual Basic, and  JScript (The Microsoft version of JavaScript). Third-party languages - like COBOL, Eiffel, Perl, Python, Smalltalk, and others - will also be available for building future .NET Framework applications.

The new Visual Studio.NET is a common development environment for the new .NET Framework. It provides a feature-rich application execution environment, simplified development and easy integration between a number of different development languages.

The examples section will have code written in C#, so it’s expected that the users of this tutorial will have understanding of C or Java programming language and also will have the following tools if they want to try them out at home:

·        PC with Windows 2K/XP Professional as OS

·        MS Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional (or greater)

·        IIS as WEB server (part of W2K /XP Professional OS)