Tools and Languages

Microsoft’s strategy for tools and programming languages is centered on its Visual Studio product, but also includes tools for graphic designers who work in application development, as well as foundation components such as the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR). This chapter outlines the roadmap for all of those components and identifies recent and upcoming releases likely to be of interest to developers.

(For a graphical view of the tools and languages roadmap, see the illustration “Developer Tools Overview“.)

Developer Tools

The VS IDE will continue to be an important way for Microsoft to support developers working with new features of its platform. Since 2005, the VS product line has included the basic IDE, which supports the code-build-debug cycle for individual developers; the Team System line of products, which includes specialized IDE editions and a server product for build management, source code control, and other features needed by teams of architects, developers, and testers; and the Express editions, a free set of lightweight tools for beginning programmers and hobbyists.