Links to information about .NET Framework package sizes and web-based detection logic

Back when the .NET Framework 3.5 shipped, I posted a brief explanation about the size and contents of the .NET Framework 3.5 full installation package.

Recently, Scott Hanselman created a site called SmallestDotNet.com that includes script-based logic to detect the latest version of the .NET Framework that is installed on your system and list the minimal components that need to be installed in order to upgrade the system to the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.  This site also contains the code for a script block that you can copy and paste into your own web page if you want to use it for your deployment scenarios.

This type of detection logic can be useful for web-based installers for applications that require the .NET Framework 3.5, and in some scenarios it can be a useful alternative to the sample detection code that I posted on my blog (which is written in C++ and is intended for use by rich-client installers that users download and run on their systems).

Scott also describes the behind-the-scenes logic used by the SmallestDotNet.com site in a blog post at https://www.hanselman.com/blog/SmallestDotNetOnTheSizeOfTheNETFramework.aspx.  In that blog post, he also describes more detail about the online and offline installers for various versions of the .NET Framework and options for minimizing download size in online install scenarios.