There are two ways to install the components. Each method is described in this section. One is through an offline Software Development Kit (SDK). The other is through online NuGet packages. Both methods work well. The SDK offers more control and tools. NuGet offers more automation.
All methods include the assemblies and a trial license in the distribution.
The assemblies are the same across all installation methods and are released at the same time.
Why use the SDK
Allows more control than NuGet over which assemblies are referenced in an application and when they are updated at the cost of manual intervention.
All assemblies available from a single directory. Favors discovery of functionality.
Contains more tools than NuGet like
Contextual documentation in Visual Studio
Digitally signed & timestamped assemblies
Samples
Snippet Explorer for live coding and demos using the components
Why use NuGet
Automates the install and update actions at the cost of control compared to the SDK.
Automatic download of assemblies. Useful for large teams.
Automatic selection of the assembly flavor (the .NET Framework version) based on the application's target.
Flexible package versioning allows for automatic update.
The following topics describe in detail the installation methods. Then, make sure to read the other topics in the section to get a good start using the components in a project.
