Computing platform

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

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 bytecode, source code, and machine code. It actually means execution of the program is not restricted by the type of operating system provided. It has mostly replaced the machine independent languages.

Contents 1 Operating system examples 1.1 Mobile 2 Software framework examples 2.1 Mobile 2.2 .NET 2.3 Java 3 Hardware examples 4 See also

[edit] Operating system examples

• AmigaOS
• FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD
• Linux
• Mac OS
• Microsoft Windows
• IBM/Microsoft Operating System 2
• Solaris
• IBM VM/370, VM/BSEP, VM/SEP, VM/XA, VM/ESA, z/VM

[edit] Mobile

• Android
• Bada
• Blackberry OS
• iOS
• Embedded Linux
• Palm OS
• Symbian platform
• Windows Mobile

[edit] Software framework examples

• Adobe AIR
• Java - JDK and JRE
• Mono
• Mozilla Prism Xul and XUL Runner
• .NET Framework
• Oracle Database
• Steam
• uniPaaS
• Vexi

[edit] Mobile

• APOXI
• BREW
• Java ME
• JavaFX Mobile

[edit] .NET

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, and the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI).

[edit] Java

The Java platform runs programs written in the Java language. Java source code is "compiled" to an intermediate-language bytecode which is then interpreted by an interpreter, the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), which then interfaces that program with the Java software libraries. In phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other wireless mobile devices, these libraries are the Java ME. Some phones, even without a full operating system, 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.

[edit] Hardware examples

• Supercomputer architectures.
• RISC processor based machines running Unix variants:
  • SPARC architecture 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.
  • Newton devices running the Newton OS, also from Apple.
• Commodity computer platforms, such as:
  • Wintel, that is, Intel x86 or compatible hardware and Windows operating system.
  • x86 with other Unix-like systems such as BSD variants.
  • CP/M computers based on the S-100 bus. Perhaps the earliest microcomputer platform.
• Gumstix full function miniature computers with Linux.
• Mainframe computers with their custom operating systems, say an IBM z/OS.
• Midrange computers with their custom operating system, say an IBM OS/400.
• ARM architecture used in mobile devices.
• Video game consoles, any variety.

[edit] See also

• Operating system
• Application programming interface
• Optimization (Infrastructure & Application Platform)
• Compatibility layer