Common Language Runtime 

The .NET Framework provides a run-time environment called the common language runtime, which runs the code and provides services that make the development process easier.

In This Section

• Common Language Runtime Overview
  Introduces managed code, managed data, and metadata, and describes key features of the common language runtime.

• Managed Execution Process
  Describes the steps required to take advantage of the common language runtime.

• Automatic Memory Management
  Describes how the garbage collector allocates and releases memory.

Related Sections

• Hosting the Common Language Runtime
  Describes runtime hosts, which are sections of code that load the runtime into a process, create the application domains within the process, and load and run user code within those application domains.

• Common Type System
  Describes and defines how types are declared, used, and managed in the runtime in support of cross-language integration.