In computing, Common Language Runtime (CLR) is a runtime environment enabling the exact same code called Common Intermediate Language to run on various computers such as Windows PCs, Unix machines and Macintoshes.

Implementations

Microsoft's .NET Windows-only implementation of the standardized Common Language Infrastructure is a CLR. It is a generalized multi-language execution engine (a virtual machine) on which code runs. There are currently more than 40 languages (as of 2005) supported. The Common Language Specification (CLS) describes a subset of the CLR, which language compilers should support to promote interoperability between languages.

The Mono development platform is a cross-platform implementation of the ECMA-defined CLR

Portable.NET, part of the DotGNU project, is also a CLR.

Hosting Solutions

• IIS, from Microsoft, for Microsoft Windows environments
• Virtuoso Universal Server, from OpenLink Software, for multiple environment, including Windows, Unix, and Mac OS X.

See also

• Common Language Infrastructure
• Metadata
• Runtime
• Java programming language
• Virtual machine