Managed code

Managed code is code executed by a .NET virtual machine, such as Microsoft s Microsoft .NET, Mono development platform, or DotGNU Project. In a Microsoft Windows environment, all other code has come to be known as unmanaged code.

Managed refers to a method of exchanging information between the program and the Runtime environment. It is specified that at any point of execution, the runtime may stop an executing central processing unit and retrieve information specific to the current CPU Instruction address. Information that must be accessible generally pertains to runtime state, such as processor register or Stack (computing) memory contents.

The necessary information is then encoded in Common Intermediate Language and associated Metadata.

Before the code is run, the Intermediate Language is compiled into native machine code. Since this compilation happens by the managed execution environment s own runtime-aware Compiler, the managed execution environment can guarantee what the code is going to do. It can insert garbage collection (computer science) hooks, exception handling, type safety, array bounds, index checking, etc.

=External links=

*[http://blogs.msdn.com/brada/archive/2004/01/09/48925.aspx Brad Abrams or Microsoft defines managed code]