AWS SDK for .NET FAQs

Overview

Q: What is the AWS SDK for .NET?

The AWS SDK for .NET is a single, downloadable package that includes Visual Studio project templates, the AWS .NET library, C# code samples, and documentation. The AWS SDK for .NET makes it even easier for Windows developers to build .NET applications that tap into the cost-effective, scalable, and reliable AWS cloud. Using the SDK, developers will be able to build solutions for AWS infrastructure services, including Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), and Amazon SimpleDB. With the AWS SDK for .NET, developers get started in minutes with a single, downloadable package complete with Visual Studio project templates, the AWS .NET library, C# code samples, and documentation.

Q: What services does the AWS SDK FOR .NET support?

The AWS SDK for .NET supports the AWS infrastructure products, including:

• Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2)
• Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3)
• Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (Amazon VPC)
• Amazon SimpleDB
• Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS)
• Amazon CloudFront
• Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS)
• Amazon Simple Notification Service (Amazon SNS)
• Amazon Elastic MapReduce
• Amazon CloudWatch
• Elastic Load Balancing
• Auto Scaling

Q: What features are included in the AWS SDK for .NET?

The AWS SDK for .NET features:

• AWS .NET Library — Build .NET applications on top of APIs that take the complexity out of coding directly against web services interfaces. The all-in-one library provides .NET developer-friendly APIs that hide much of the lower-level plumbing associated with programming for the AWS cloud, including authentication, request retries, and error handling.
• Code Samples — Practical examples in C# for how to use the libraries to build applications.
• Documentation — Learn more about how to use the libraries and code samples with online video tutorials and reference documentation.
• Visual Studio Support — Get started quickly with building solutions for the AWS cloud using Visual Studio Project Templates.

The AWS SDK for .NET supports development on any platform that supports the .NET Framework 2.0 (or later), allowing most developers to start building solutions for the AWS cloud without having to upgrade to a new operating system, .NET Framework, or Visual Studio version.

Q: Why is AWS providing a .NET SDK?

The AWS infrastructure services provide language-agnostic web service APIs that can be used by any number of programming languages and technologies. The AWS SDK for .NET makes application development easier for our customers by providing a tailored development experience for .NET developers. Previously, developers had to download multiple libraries from different providers in order to build an application on multiple AWS products. With the AWS SDK for .NET, .NET developers get started in minutes with a single, downloadable package complete with Visual Studio project templates, the AWS .NET library, C# code samples, and documentation.

Q: Where can I find the AWS SDK for .NET?

Download and learn more about the AWS SDK at http://aws.amazon.com/sdkfornet. See all resources for Windows & .NET development at http://aws.amazon.com/net.

Q: How do I get support for the AWS SDK for .NET?

All customers can get support for the AWS SDK for .NET through our community forums how-to videos, and reference documentation available at the .NET Development Center (http://aws.amazon.com/net). AWS Premium Support customers can additionally get support through the Support Center at http://aws.amazon.com/support.

Q: What about your existing libraries for C# and VB.NET developers?

Our new .NET SDK is almost identical to our existing C# and VB.NET libraries released for Amazon EC2, Amazon SimpleDB, and Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS). We recommend developers switch to the new AWS SDK for .NET, where they’ll continue to get new feature updates and bug fixes. Installation and System Requirements

Q: How do I install the AWS SDK for .NET?

You can download the AWS SDK for .NET installer from http://aws.amazon.com/sdkfornet. The installer will walk you through the installation steps. For more information about installing the AWS SDK for .NET, watch our Getting Started video on the same page.

Q: What version of .NET do you support?

The AWS SDK for .NET supports the .NET Framework 2.0 (and later).

Q: What versions of Visual Studio do you support?

While you can use the AWS SDK for .NET with any version of Visual Studio that supports the .NET Framework 2.0, we officially support:

• Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition or later
• Visual Studio C# 2008 Express Edition
• Visual Studio Web Developer 2008 Express Edition

Q: Any plans to support .NET Framework 3.5 or 4.0 features?

Yes. Please post to our .NET Development Center forums and let us know which features you’d like to see in future versions of the AWS SDK for .NET.

Open Source and Licensing

Q: Where can I find the source code?

The source code is available to download from the AWS SDK for .NET web site at http://aws.amazon.com/sdkfornet.

Q: Is the AWS SDK for .NET Open Source? How is the SDK licensed?

The library and sample application source code is licensed under the Apache 2.0 license, so you can modify and re-distribute the code with the appropriate attribution.

Q: Do you accept code contributions?

Yes. Contributions are always welcome. To provide a bug fix or improvement, post the code to our .NET forums.