Object-oriented frameworks are gaining importance to help reduce development efforts in large complex systems. They help developers leverage the knowledge of experienced domain experts, thus reducing the complexity of the development of large systems. Distributed applications are inherently complex and are therefore difficult to develop. Frameworks are used to hide away these complex issues, freeing the developer to concentrate on the application requirements instead. This paper will present an overview of object oriented frameworks and describe a few example frameworks targetted for distributed applications development. It will conclude by stating future trends in frameworks and a suggestion of promising areas of interest for research.