This book was written in order to demystify the software factories paradigm by guiding you through a practical case study, from the early conception phase of building a software factory to delivering a ready-made software product. The authors provide you with a hands-on example covering each of the four pillars of software factories: software product lines, architectural frameworks, model-driven development, and guidance in context. While the ideas behind software factories are platform independent, the Microsoft .NET platform, together with recent technologies such as DSL Tools and the Smart Client Baseline Architecture Toolkit, makes an ideal foundation. A study shows the different facets and caveats and demonstrates how each of these technologies becomes part of a comprehensive factory. Software factories are a top candidate for revolutionizing software development. This book will give you a great starting point to understanding the concepts behind it and ultimately applying this knowledge to your own software projects. Contributions by Jack Greenfield, Wojtek Kozaczynski Foreword by Douglas C. Schmidt, Jack Greenfield, Jorgen Kazmeier and Eugenio Pace.