spring Net vs enterprise library

Question

I've been searching the web for information about a Net Framework I can use to "take it and keep it" from now on in my projects, and I've almost made a decision, but I would like some reference about what direction the market is moving on. I can't find anything in google about which is the most used, which one have the most future, etc. I've been reading about other Frameworks too (Castle, Nhibernate, CSLA), but these 2 (Spring Net & EntLib) seem to be the more robust to me. Do you have references I can consult???

Thanks

Ajax

I recently came to this same question, I'm curious which one are you using now, I would be glad to learn about your exprience. – Kernel

Hi @VahidND it came down to what duffymo said: we're in the Microsoft Area of the company, so our clients feel more confidence when you say you're using Microsoft Technology. All of the evaluated frameworks did what we wanted -mostly Data Access and Logging-, but we ended choosing EntLib – Ajax

Answer 1

Actually learn both so you can make the right long term decision for yourself.
For now just pick which you will learn first. EntLib is more of a just foundation library (like basic building blocks) while Spring.NET is both foundation stuff as well as more specific pieces (i.e. ASP.NET).

EntLib is being actively developed and maintained by MS, while Spring.NET is a community effort which currently is a bit stale and slowly becoming rusty (i.e. lack of container configuration via code - it is being developed, but without a real release)

Both have good documentation (which is not so common for OSS libraries). Spring.NET has excellent docs, EntLib has pretty good but not always the best (sort of MSDN style where often you will find code samples that are too simplistic to present the idea).

I think EntLib might be a bit easier to start with, but as I said learn one and then try the other to make a smart decision cause you will definitely have personal preferences and like one more than the other.

UPDATE:

Spring.NET is being developed more actively now, realases are more frequent, Spring.NET CodeConfig in now official and past 1.0 also new projects appeared like Spring.NET Social and Spring.NET REST Client.
There's .NET 4.0 build, it supports MVC3 and NHibernate 3.2 so basically it looks like the project is not dying at all - quite the opposite actually :)

Rillis

Just to add to Piotr's answer, yes, EntLib is a general purpose library. Notice, however, that we are producing new Integration Packs to make app blocks more specific to various environments (e.g. Silverlight, ASP.NET MVC, Sharepoiint etc.) See EntLib's roadmap here - entlib.codeplex.com/wikipage?title=RoadmapFY11 – Kinkajou

Great idea, this will definitely contribute to wider EntLib adoption. – Rillis

Answer 2

I think it comes down to whether you want to stick with what Microsoft gives you or not.

If you're 100% Microsoft, perhaps it'd be best to stick with EF.

Speaking as a Java developer with long Spring experience, I think it's a terrific framework. It's getting excellent traction on the Java side. They've been purchased by VMWare, so they've got solid financial backing.

But they aren't Microsoft. That can be a plus or a minus. Only you can decide how much you value that.

Alejandroalejo

Answer 3

Most important thing is to clarify that EF and Spring.NET have completly diferent purposes , altought EF recently incorporates DI it is not the same has spring

Judie

This is not really an answer. – Fashionable