In case you don’t know, one of these is a programming language, and both are related to the .net framework. What is a framework, you ask?
If you’re familiar at all with frameworks, C# and ASP.net, feel free to skip ahead. For the rest of you, read on and learn.
Defining the terms
Framework
According to techtarget , it’s a layered structure indicating what kind of programs can be built and how they would relate to one another. There’s a more detailed description on their site , if you’re still confused.
Examples of frameworks include the internet business framework . This framework lays the foundation for one of the world’s most powerful enterprise software vendors. Not going to name any names here, but I’m familiar with their programs. Their $22 billion+ turnover is justified.
Another example is the .net framework , which lays the foundation for many apps and technologies.
C#
It’s a programming language created in 2000. The C# language is reliant on the .net framework. In fact, it is the main language for the framework.
Not to be confused with C++ (with which it co-exists), the C# language is based off C++. C# is a little more advanced. The comprehensive language can and has been used for utilities, operating systems and gaming (to name a few).
C#’s main rival is Java, but that’s a “Difference Between” for another day.
ASP.NET
ASP.NET is a part of the .net framework. It’s a framework for responsive web design.
It is mainly used in the design of responsive web-pages, much like PHP.
ASP.NET is often compared to PHP, which are both server-side. Another comparison would be to JavaScript or similar, which is client-side.
As for server-side vs. client side, again, that is a debate for another day.
The Difference
The difference between these two makes them very hard to actually compare. It’s something of a difference to end all differences.
You see, ASP.NET is not in opposition to C#. C# is actually a language used in conjunction with ASP.NET. ASP.NET is more comparable to Django or Ruby on Rails .
And so, basically, the difference is that ASP.NET is a framework for websites, and C# is a programming language used on this framework.
I hope this answers your question.
If you’re interested in learning more about these subjects, please read on…
More About C#
C# was developed my Microsoft and has its roots in C++ (another programming language.
According to an article by Udemy Instructor Mosh Hamedani, the core skills required in junior C# developers are:
1. Data structures and Algorithms
He goes on to say that these are the alphabets of programming and that you should take at least one month to study these alone.
2. Databases
Specifically the rational SQL database.
3. O/RMs
Or object/relational mapper, used to load and save objects in a database.
You can read the whole article here .
More about ASP.NET
If you’re interested in learning more about ASP.NET, then you should be interested in web design. The two go together. If you’re interested in web design, then you should have already heard of HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
If you haven’t, then this is your recommended course. You’ll need to learn the above basics before jumping into C#, and finally into something called MVC.
Let me break it down for you.
HTML
It’s the skeleton of your website. It’s short for Hypertext Mark-up Language.
You know how sometimes, when a website hasn’t loaded properly, it’s all nasty, poorly spaced text? That’s the html.
HTML is extremely easy to learn and can be done almost overnight. There are more tags than you could ever care to learn, but once you’ve got the basics of HTML it’s all about remembering which tags go with which elements.
I won’t go too in depth here (I’m tempted to), but there are plenty of free learning sites for HTML.
CSS
Another very easy programming language. CSS is short for Cascading Style Sheets. This is what makes your website look beautiful. It tells your HTML elements where to go and what to look like.
You can colour text and backgrounds. You can add padding to text (so everything isn’t all jumbled together). CSS is the make-up of your website.
JavaScript
Here’s where things get a little tricky. JavaScript is fairly easy to learn, but it involves quite a lot of complicated terms. (Like Booleans)
These languages bring your website to life. You can add animations, dropdown menu’s, image slides, etc. It’s all thanks to JavaScript.
Learning JavaScript does need some study, so be warned.
There’s your basics. Next you’ll want to learn C#, which is a tricky language and will take a lot of study to learn. You know more or less what C# by now (if you’ve been reading the article).
MVC
Or Web Forms, also created by Microsoft. This is a powerful web-application creation tool that is bound to ASP.NET.
I must admit, my knowledge of Web Forms is very limited, but here’s a super-helpful article for if you want to learn more .
After this step you’ll go onto the actual database (SQL), and good luck!
Your thoughts?
Are you a programmer? Are you studying to be a programmer?
What do you think of the article?
Let us know in the comments below!