Microsoft released new version of Microsoft Enterprise Library 6. Microsoft Enterprise Library is a collection of application blocks designed to assist developers with common enterprise development challenges. Application blocks are a type of guidance, provided as source code that can be used "as is," extended, or modified by developers for use in their development projects.
Microsoft Enterprise Library can be useful in a variety of situations:
- Enterprise Library provides sufficient functionality to support many common cross-cutting scenarios that enterprise-level applications must address.
- Enterprise Library can serve as the basis for a custom library. You can take advantage of the extensibility points incorporated in each application block and extend the application block by adding new providers. You can also modify the source code for the existing application blocks to incorporate new functionality, and even add new application blocks to Enterprise Library. You can either develop extensions for existing application blocks and new application blocks yourself, or you can use extensions and application blocks developed by others.
- Enterprise Library is designed so that its application blocks can function independently of each other. You need to add only the application blocks that your application will use.
- Enterprise Library includes the source code and the unit tests for all application blocks. This means you can explore the implementations, modify the application blocks to merge into your existing library, or you can use parts of the Enterprise Library source code in other application blocks or applications that you build.
- Enterprise Library includes documentation, a reference implementation, and source code. Enterprise Library embodies many design patterns, and demonstrates good architectural and coding techniques. You can use the library as a tool for learning architectural, design, and proven coding practices.