NX offers an API for use with Microsoft's .NET framework. Built on the Common API, this interface provides programmatic access to NX core application functionality, making it possible to create advanced automation programs using any of the .NET-compliant languages, including Visual Basic .NET and C#. Because the API is built on the .NET framework, users can take full advantage of all the benefits provided by that framework.

The new API offers the following features:

• Language support - Provides a native .NET API that supports all .NET languages including Visual Basic .NET and C#. (A native Java interface is coming soon).
• Development environment - Completely integrated with the new Visual Studio .NET development environment which provides state-of-the-art browsing, editing, debugging, graphical layout of dialogs (WinForms and WebForms) and a unified integrated development environment (IDE) for web, desktop and mobile development needs.
• Application development - Supports rapid application development by offering streamlined, object oriented class hierarchies. Exposes the NX API through the object browser.
• Coverage - The new API provides the same automation coverage as is currently available from the Open C API.
• Remoting - Offers full remoting support based on .NET remoting which is compatible with COM based solutions.
• Help - All API documentation is fully integrated into the Visual Studio integrated development environment and is easily displayed in the Visual Studio Help format.

Open C API

The Open C API is a direct programming interface to NX that allows users to create custom applications using the popular programming languages C and C++. It is used by NX developers, customers and alliance partners to produce unique applications to augment NX or to act as completely separate utilities. Open C also provides a fully extensible data model, allowing customers to define new types of objects that can be treated just like standard NX objects and stored persistently in NX part files.

The Open C API has consistently been rated higher than those of competitors in terms of completeness and usability, and has been recognized as one of the most stable and reliable APIs from release to release (based on the number of deleted and changed functions relative to total number of functions).

Open C++ API

Open C++ is an object-oriented interface to NX. Written in C++, this API takes full advantage of object-oriented features including inheritance, encapsulation and polymorphism. Open C++ provides complete access to its class hierarchy, allowing customers to override methods, derive their own classes and create entirely new, persistent objects in NX. Open C++ is fully compatible with the existing Open C API which has historically been used by NX developers, customers and alliance partners to produce unique applications for NX. Open C++ also provides a fully extensible data model, allowing customers to define new types of objects that can be treated just like standard NX objects and stored persistently in NX part files.