In computing, a platform describes some sort of hardware architecture or software framework (including application frameworks), that allows software to run. Typical platforms include a computer's architecture, operating system, programming languages and related runtime libraries or graphical user interface.

Hardware, operating system and virtual machine

In relation to hardware, platform often describes the set of hardware components that make up the computer itself, that the software is written to target (often just described as "written for an architecture"). Pure assembly language can be run on this hardware platform, but most commonly, operating system software is written to target it. But in doing so, it becomes a platform in itself, facilitating the running of other software that is used to target the operating system, and likewise the hardware architecture. Furthermore, software that is written for the operating system can be used to support the running of other software: for example a virtual machine (which targets a certain operating system/hardware) that is used to run other programs that are written for it, which constitutes another platform.

Role in software

A platform is a crucial element in software development. A platform might be simply defined as 'a place to launch software'. It is an agreement that the platform provider gave to the software developer that logic code will interpret consistently as long as the platform is running on top of other platforms. Logic code includes byte code, source code, and machine code.

Background

Platforms are frequently mentioned with APIs. A complete suite of APIs constitute another type of platform called software platform. Software Platforms frequently are dependent to operating systems. However this is not always true. For example, two popular non-OS dependent platforms are Java, as mentioned above, and BREW for mobile phones.

Java

Java programs are a typical example of the latter point. Java source code is "compiled" to an intermediate-language bytecode which is then interpreted by an interpreter, the JVM, which then interfaces that program with the Java software libraries. In phones, PDAs and other wireless mobile devices, these libraries are the Java ME. Some phones, even without a full fledged OS, enable Java programs such as games to operate. Java and the bytecode are said to be platform independent. But this is because Java is the platform as well as a programming language. Software really cannot operate without a platform or be platform independent. The programming language is referred to here, meaning the programmer need not be concerned about the hardware or operating system platform, nor will the language change with a different platform.

.NET

Microsoft .NET is an umbrella term that applies to a wide collection of products and technologies from Microsoft. Most have in common a dependence on the Microsoft .NET Framework.

Operating system platform examples

• Microsoft Windows
• Linux
• Solaris
• Mac OS backward compatibility via Rosetta
• WINE platform to behave like Microsoft Windows

Software platform examples

• Java - JDK and JRE
• .NET Framework - operating system dependence (MS Windows)
• Mozilla Prism XUL and XUL Runner
• Adobe AIR
• Mono

Hardware examples

• Supercomputer architectures.
• RISC processor based machines running UNIX variants:
  • Sun computers running the Solaris operating system.
  • DEC Alpha cluster running under OpenVMS.
• Macintosh, custom Apple Computer hardware and Mac OS operating system (now migrated on x86).
• Commodity computer platforms, such as:
  • Wintel, that is, Intel x86 or compatible hardware and Windows operating system.
  • Lintel, that is, Intel x86 or compatible hardware and the Linux operating system.
  • x86 with other Unix-like systems such as BSD variants.
• Gumstix full function miniature computers with Linux.
• A mainframe computer with its custom operating system, say an IBM z/OS.
• A midrange computer with its custom operating system, say an IBM OS/400.
• ARM architecture found in mobile devices.
• Any variety of video game console.

Phone platforms

Symbian

• Symbian OS
• UIQ
• S60 platform

Linux

• Linux
• Qtopia
• Android
• LIMO
• [OpenMoko (First Open Source Mobile Communication Platform)]

Run time

• JavaFX Mobile
• Java ME
• Helix

Others

• Palm OS
• BREW
• Windows Mobile
• Android
• APOXI

See also

• Category:Computing platforms
• Computing
• Software engineering and List of software engineering topics
• Operating Systems
• Application Programming Interface

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