The .NET Framework .NET is Microsoft‘s application development platform that enables developers to easily create Windows applications, web applications, and web services using different programming languages and without worrying about low-level details, such as memory management and processor-specific instructions. The .NET Framework is described as four distinct layers. The top layer represents three of the many programming languages that the programmer can use. These languages are compiled into a language-independent form called Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL) or Intermediate Language( IL). IL can then be run on any machine that has a Common Language Runtime (CLR) installed.