Towards a Smaller .NET 4 - Details on the Client Profile and Downloading .NET April 20, '10 Comments [35] Posted in VS2010 Sponsored By NOTE: All this info is for programmers/developers. If you just If you want .NET just to run stuff, just go get the 800k Web Installer for .NET 4 and you're all set. It'll do the rest. Now, that said... Almost two years ago I blogged about how Microsoft was trying to make the size of the .NET Framework smaller and smaller. That day I made a site called http://www.smallestdotnet.com to help folks find the smallest download possible for their system. I just noticed a post on the WPF Perf and .NET Client Profile blog that goes into a LOT of detail on how the .NET 4 Client Profile makes things smaller. Before, the .NET 3.5 SP1 Client Profile was a good idea, but it wasn't really a first class citizen. It wonly worked on x86 and machines that didn't have .NET on them already. Some amount of time you'd end up having to get the full .NET install anyway. They say the focus on .NET 4 is on getting Client Applications to run as fast as possible with as few bits as possible. Check this out from Jossef Goldberg's blog: "Unlike the NET 3.5 SP1 Client Profile, NET4 Client Profile is:" Supported on all OS that Full is Supported for x86 & x64 Client Profile is *the* framework that will be available on Windows Update for desktops Supported in all aspect of VS (e.g. targeting, deployment project, etc) Is the default target in almost all VS10 Client Project Templates (Winforms, WPF, VSTO, etc) So that's good to know. They are committed to this and this will be the .NET 4 that gets distributed via Windows Update later this year. The general idea is that they avoid installing things you don't need a client machine. That means they won't install ASP.NET on your Mom's computer just because she wants a game. Also, the .NET 4 Client profile is a proper subset of the .NET 4 "Full" Framework. Here's the numbers: 3.5 SP1 4.0 RTM 32 bit Client Profile Online: 28 MB Offline: 255MB 28.8 MB 32 + 64 bit Client Profile N/A 41 MB 32 bit Full N/A 35.3 MB 32 + 64 bit Full N/A 48.1 MB 32 + ia64 bit Full N/A 51.7 MB 32 + 64 + ia64 bit Full 231 MB N/A And the chart. Seems like a return to simplicity. I'm glad they're listening. I remember harping on this, as I'm sure you did, Dear Reader, over the last few years. On to the where... Downloads - Where can I get the NET4 Client Profile? One more time, know that this info is for developers. If you want .NET just to run stuff, just go get the 800k Web Installer and you're all set. It'll do the rest. These downloads are for folks who might want to redistribute the .NET 4 Framework with their software, perhaps offline. Both x86 and x64: Client: dotNetFx40_Client_x86_x64.exe (41 MB): This is the Client Profile SKU that you must install on any supported 64-bit OS. This will also install on any supported 32-bit OS. Your app could run in WOW64 if it was compiled w/ "32-bit" flag or as 64-bit if you compile with "AnyCPU" or "64-bit" flags. If you are redistributing the Client Profile with your application you most likely want to redist this package as it can install on both 32 and 64 bit OS’s. Full: dotNetFx40_Full_x86_x64.exe (48.1 MB): This is the Full Framework SKU that you must install on any supported 64-bit OS. This will also install on any supported 32-bit OS. If you are redistributing the Full Framework with your application you most likely want to redist this package as it can install on both 32 and 64 bit OS’s. Just x86: Client: dotNetFx40_Client_x86.exe (28.8 MB): This is the Client Profile SKU that you could use to install on any supported 32-bit OS. Choose this only if all your users are running 32 bit OS. (in most times this will not be your case…) Full: dotNetFx40_Full_x86.exe (35.3 MB): This is the Full Framework SKU that you could use to install on any supported 32-bit OS. Choose this only if all your users are running 32 bit OS (in most times this will not be your case…) Full Web Bootstrapper for Online Scenarios: NET 4 RTM Web Bootstrapper: This is what you want to install if you need NET4 Full and you are online. This will detect your OS and processor architecture and will install the appropriate Framework. Client Web Bootstrapper for Online Scenarios: NET 4 Client Profile RTM Web Bootstrapper: This is what you want to install if you need NET4 Client Profile and you are online. This will detect your OS and processor architecture and will install the appropriate Client Profile. Enjoy. « Team Hanselman and Diabetes Walk 2010 | Blog Home | Back to (Parallel) Basics: Do you really... » About Scott Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author. About Newsletter Sponsored By Hosting By