Any client machine using .NET requires the .NET Framework Runtime or the .NET Runtime. When deploying an ABL application that uses .NET, you must check for an appropriate version and install the runtime if necessary. If you create your own custom installation package for a .NET application, it must check for and, if necessary, install an appropriate version of .NET before it installs OpenEdge.

Note: Developer tools, such as the Visual Designer, Assembly References tool (proasmref), Update Assembly References tool (updasmref), and ProxyGen still require .NET Framework. Only the ABL compiler/runtime (including prowin, prowin32, _progress, _mproapsv) supports either .NET Framework or .NET.

If your application makes use of .NET, consider using the Preload CLR (-preloadCLR) startup parameter to force the .NET CLR and any specified assemblies to load at startup. Using the startup parameter moves the delay of loading the CLR to the OpenEdge startup time, avoiding the delay later while running the application. For more information on -preloadCLR, see Startup Command and Parameter Reference.