Computing platform
lastmod 2020-12-09created 2020-10-075 edits
A computing platform is a term describing the kind of hardware architecture or software framework (including application frameworks) on which software can run. A platform generally includes the computer's architecture, operating system (OS), programming languages, and related runtime libraries or GUI.
A platform is the combination of hardware and software used to run application software. A platform can be described simply as an operating system or a computer architecture, or as both together.
The platform most familiar to the public is Microsoft Windows running on the x86 architecture. Other well-known desktop computer platforms include Linux and OS X. Many devices such as mobile phones are also effectively computer platforms, but they are not usually called that.
Application software is programmed to fit the features of platform-specific hardware, an operating system, or a virtual machine. The Java platform is a virtual machine platform that runs on many operating systems and hardware, and is one type of common platform on which software is built.
The platform is a core and technically difficult part of software development. Briefly defined, a platform can be seen as the foundation on which software can run. A platform is also a contract with the software developers who use it, promising that their logic code will work the same regardless of which other platform it runs on. Logic code can be byte code, source code, or machine code. This allows program execution not to be restricted to a particular operating system. It is language-independent and makes it easy to swap machines.
Categories
- Virtualization
- Compatibility layer
- Hypervisor
- Virtual Machine
- Paravirtualization
- Full virtualization
- Emulator
- Cross-platform virtualization
- Computing platform
- Toolchain