ASP.NET is the platform that you use to create Web applications and Web services that run under IIS. ASP.NET is not the only way to create a Web application. Other technologies, notably the CGI, also enable you to create Web applications. What makes ASP.NET special is how tightly it is integrated with the Microsoft server, programming, data access, and security tools. ASP.NET has many advantages over other platforms when it comes to creating Web applications. Probably the most significant advantage is its integration with the Windows server and programming tools. Web applications created with ASP.NET are easier to create, debug, and deploy because those tasks can all be performed within a single development environment—Visual Studio .NET.