Professional DotNetNuke® Module Programming

Chapter 1. Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources

Anyone can visit DotNetNuke.com and download a copy of the DotNetNuke development framework, but it is a very daunting task to fully understand the different versions, packages, and resources available. This chapter provides an overview of DotNetNuke versions, packages, and resources — those available via DotNetNuke.com and other community sites.

This chapter begins with an examination of the three major DotNetNuke versions available, and details a bit of the history surrounding how DotNetNuke has evolved to the framework that it is today. Technology and other requirements are discussed for key releases in recent DotNetNuke history. The discussion then examines the various download packages available from DotNetNuke.com, and the process for obtaining legacy versions, should the need arise for a noncurrent version. The chapter concludes with a quick overview of community resources available for more information on DotNetNuke and module development with DotNetNuke.

Versions Explained

A first-time visitor to the DotNetNuke website can easily be confused by all the versions of DotNetNuke. As of this writing, the DotNetNuke.com website has published links for downloading versions 4.8.4, 4.70, 4.62, and 3.3.7. This alone can be very confusing to many, as identifying the proper starting point can be a bit unclear. The following sections examine the 3.x, 4.x, and 5.x versions of DotNetNuke, with key milestones identified and details on when ...