GAC: What is the strong names (SN.EXE) to assembly In .Net

Interview Questions:-

Strong name is similar to GUID (It is supposed to be unique in space and time) in COM

components. Strong Name is only needed when we need to deploy assembly in GAC. Strong

Names helps GAC to differentiate between two versions. Strong names use public key

cryptography (PKC) to ensure that no one can spoof it.PKC use public key and private key

concept.

Following are the step to generate a strong name and sign a assembly:-

• Go to “Visual Studio Command Prompt”. See the below figure “Visual studio Command
prompt”. Note the samples are compiled in 2005 but 2008 users do not have to worry
about it. Same type of command prompt will be seen in 2008 also.

 

• Once you are in command, prompt type sn.exe -k “c:\test.snk”.

Fig:-Successful output of SN.EXE

 

      Fig:- Sample view of test.snk file

• After generation of the file you can view the SNK file in a simple notepad.
• After the SNK file is generated its time to sign the project with this SNK file.

Fig:-Click on project & then click on “classlibrary1 properties” menu to sign the assembly

• Click on project -- properties and the browse the SNK file from the respective folder
and compile the project.

Fig:- Click on ‘Use a key file’ to sign the assembly with strong name