Managed code requires the Common Language Runtime (CLR) virtual machine, making it more portable and secure than unmanaged code. However, it has an overhead that can affect application response time. Unmanaged code can run without the CLR, making it faster but less portable.
“Managed Code” is a term created by Microsoft® Coproration. This term refers to program code that requires the use of the Common Language Runtime (CLR) virtual machine to be used. The term “unmanaged code” is used to refer to program code that does not require this virtual machine.
The common language runtime was developed in an effort to allow programs to run on a variety of computers and operating systems without requiring changes to the program code. To do this, the computer program code is converted into virtual machine bytecode. This bytecode is then interpreted by the CLR virtual machine and converted into bytecode for the specific machine it is running on.
Managed code can run on any computer with the CLR virtual machine. This high degree of portability gives it a definite edge over unmanaged code. Unmanaged code requires programmers to modify program code for use on different machines. Not only can this process be slow, but it can also lead to many application errors.
Another benefit of managed code is its increased security. The security of a program built with unmanaged code largely depends on the implementation built by the programmers. Using the CLR virtual machine helps take most of the security issues off the shoulders of programmers. Most of the security issues that can arise are directly centered within the virtual machine itself. This in itself helps centralize issues, making deployment of security patches much faster.
The question of whether a particular set of code is managed code or unmanaged code is extremely important to computer programmers. Managed code has a higher degree of portability, but this portability requires the common language runtime to be installed on the target computer. Unmanaged code, on the other hand, can run without adding the CLR.
There are many advantages to using managed code, but there are also several disadvantages. The main drawback is the overhead required by using the CLR virtual machine. The difference between the execution speed of managed code versus the speed of unmanaged code is often negligible, but in some cases it makes a very noticeable difference in application response time. As a result, unmanaged code plays a crucial role in most applications that require a high degree of speed over portability.
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