Framework Features

.NET Frame Work 2. 0 Features
Generics
Anonymous methods
Partial class
Nullable type
The new API gives a fine grain control on the behavior of the run time with regards to multithreading, memory allocation, assembly loading and more Full 64-bit support for both the x64 and the IA64 hardware platforms
New personalization features for ASP.NET, such as support for themes, skins and webparts.
.NET Micro Framework
Data Tables

.NET Framework 3.0 Features
Also called WinFX,includes a new set of managed code APIs that are an integral part of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 operating systems and provides
Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) – formerly called Indigo; a service-oriented messaging system which allows programs to interoperate locally or remotely similar to web services
Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) - formerly called Avalon; a new user interface subsystem and API based on XML and vector graphics, which uses 3D computer graphics hardware and Direct3D technologies.
Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) allows for building of task automation and integrated transactions using workflows.
Windows CardSpace, formerly called InfoCard; a software component which securely stores a person’s digital identities and provides a unified interface for choosing the identity for a particular transaction, such as logging in to a website

.NET Framework 3.5 Features
Language Integrated Query (LINQ) for SQL, XML, Dataset, Object
Addin system
p2p base class
Active directory.
ASP.NET Ajax
Anonymous types with static type inference
Paging support for ADO.NET
ADO.NET synchronization API to synchronize local caches and server side data stores
Asynchronous network I/O API
Support for HTTP pipelining and syndication feeds.
New System.CodeDom namespace

.NET Framework 4.0 Features
Common Language Runtime (CLR) – The following sections describe new features in security, parallel computing, performance and diagnostics, dynamic language runtime, and other CLR-related technologies.
Base Class Libraries.
Networking – Enhancements have been made that affect how integrated Windows authentication is handled by the HttpWebRequest, HttpListener, SmtpClient, SslStream, NegotiateStream, and related classes in the System.Net and related namespaces.
Web – The following sections describe new features in ASP.NET core services, Web Forms, Dynamic Data, and Visual Web Developer.
Client – The following sections describe new features in Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Managed Extensibility Framework (MEF). Data.
Communications – Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) provides the new features and enhancements described in the following sections.
Workflow – Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) in .NET Framework 4.0 changes several development paradigms from earlier versions. Workflows are now easier to create, execute, and maintain.