Cross Ref > Tool Basics

Java applets and applications both require the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and any additional dependencies you've added.

C# projects require the .Net framework and any additional dependencies you've added such as Crystal Reports.

In Visual Studio.Net, you can create a Setup and Deployment project by using any of the templates available on the New Project dialog (Other Project Types).

In addition, C# projects also support ClickOnce which brings the ease of Web deployment to Windows Forms and console applications. To get started, right click on your solution in the Solution Explorer, click Properties then select the Security tab. 

In addition, you can use any of the many free and commercially available installation packages.

 C# Deployment Overview

Many compilers and development tools are available. Common development tools include Sun's J2EE, CodeGear JBuilder, and Eclipse.

Microsoft Visual C# and the full version of Microsoft Visual Studio.Net are the current primary tools. CodeGear does have C#Builder but it's not a primary tool currently and development on the tool has slowed in recent years.

The customary primary source file extension for Java code is ".java" which could contain anywhere from a single class to the entire source code.

Other important files:

• .JAR - Java archive file (compressed code file). Archive that contains multiple Java files and is compressed using .ZIP compression; stores Java classes and metadata and may be digitally signed; runs as a program if the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed on the computer.
• .CLASS - compiled source code which are platform-independent. If a source file has more than one class, each class is compiled into a separate .class file. These .class files can be loaded by any Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

 Java File Extensions (.java)

Common source code file extensions include:

• .SLN - Solution File. Contains solution specific information such as links to the projects within this solution.
• .CSPROJ - C# Project File. Contains project specific information. When you add a file containing one or more classes, it is added to this file.
• .CS - C# source file.
• .Designer.CS - C# form file (a text resource file).

//Sample code snippet from the .csproj project file:

<ItemGroup>
  <Compile Include="Cyborg.cs" />
  <Compile Include="Cyborg600.cs" />
  <Compile Include="Form1.cs">
    <SubType>Form</SubType>
  </Compile>

  //...

Promoted as a single source cross-platform runtime system (Write Once, Run Anywhere). Java builds on and in some ways simplifies the object oriented features of C++. Java applications are typically compiled to byte-code and can run on any platform running the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

Target Platforms: Java is suitable for creating many types of cross-platform applications that target the JVM including desktop business applications as well as Java applets which target all the major web browsers.

Language Overview: C# is an OOP language (no global functions or variables) and is type-safe. You code using a fully OOP approach (everything is in a class).

Target Platforms: C# is most suitable for creating .Net Framework applications. This includes desktop business application using WinForms and websites using WebForms.

Both Eclipse 3.3 and JBuilder 2008 come bundled with Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT). BIRT is an Eclipse-based open source reporting system with both a report designer based on Eclipse, and a runtime component that you can add to your app server plus a charting engine that lets you add charts.

For WebForm applications the client target is the browser (a document interfaced GUI), a common solution is to simply output an HTML formatted page with black text and a white background (not much control but it does work for some situations).

For WinForm applications, Crystal Reports is still a popular choice with C# developers because it has been bundled with many Microsoft products, it's overall popularity, and compatibility with many different development tools.

 C# Report Tools Overview