The main difference between namespace and assembly is that a namespace is a logical group of related classes that can be used by the languages targeted by Microsoft .NET framework, while Assembly is a building block of .NET Framework applications that form the fundamental unit of deployment, version control, reuse, activation scoping, and security permissions.
Generally, .NET is a framework developed by Microsoft. It provides interoperability with various programming languages. It also provides features for automatic garbage collection and securing the application data. Furthermore, there are tools to develop, execute and deploy desktop, mobile and web applications. In overall, namespace and Assembly are two concepts related to the .NET framework.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Namespace
-Definition, Functionality
2. What is Assembly
-Definition, Functionality
3. Difference Between Namespace and Assembly
-Comparison of key differences
Key Terms
Assembly, Namespace, .NET Framework, Private Assembly, Satellite Assembly, Shared Assembly
What is Namespace
A namespace is a logical group of related classes that can be used by the languages targeting the Microsoft .NET framework. Storing all the classes in the same location will create difficulties in accessing and maintenance. Therefore, it is possible to use namespace as an alternative. In other words, a namespace helps to group the classes logically. Also, it groups the names and reduces the chance of name collisions.
The name of a class is specified by concatenating the names of all the related namespaces. For example, assume System.Windows.Forms.TextBox. It describes that the TextBox class is inside the Forms namespace. Moreover, the Forms namespace is inside the Windows namespace while the Windows namespace is inside the System namespace.
What is Assembly
Assembly is a standard component of the Microsoft .NET framework. It can exist as an executable (.exe) file or Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file. An assembly consists of all metadata about the modules, types and other elements in the form of a manifest. Moreover, the assembly provides multiple advantages. Generally, it helps deployment and version control and provides reusability and security.
Generally, there are three types of assemblies. A private assembly is used only for a single application. Moreover, it is necessary to place the files of an assembly in the same folder of the application. Next, the shared assembly, which is used for sharing. In that case, it is necessary to have a strict naming convention as it has to be unique across the whole system. Finally, the satellite assembly is used as a deploying language and culture-specific resources for an application.
Difference Between Namespace and Assembly
Definition
A namespace is a logical division of classes available in .NET framework. But, assembly is a fundamental unit of deployment, version control, reuse, activation scoping and security permissions for a. NET-based application. Thus, this is the main difference between namespace and assembly.
Basis
Moreover, namespace provides a fundamental unit of logical code grouping, whereas an assembly provides a fundamental unit of physical code grouping.
Conclusion
Overall, namespace and assembly are two concepts in .NET. In brief, a namespace is a logical group of related classes that can be used by the languages targeted by Microsoft .NET framework, while an assembly is a building block of .NET Framework applications that form the fundamental unit of deployment, version control, reuse, activation scoping, and security permissions. Thus, this is the main difference between namespace and assembly.
References:
1.Balaje, Thiru. “Assembly in .NET.” C# Corner, Available here.
2.Dotnet-Bot. “Assemblies in .NET.” Microsoft Docs, Available here.
3.“Namespace :” Namespace in .Net with Example, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1.”Microsoft .NET logo” By Microsoft – https://www.microsoft.com/net (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
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