Computing platform

In computing, a platform describes some sort of framework, either in hardware or software, which allows software to run. Typical platforms include a computer's architecture, operating system, or programming languages and their runtime libraries.

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.

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 platform, nor will the language change with a different platform...

.NET

.NET is Microsoft's answer to Sun's Java.

Role in software

A platform is a crucial element in software development. A platform might be simply defined as 'a place to launch software'. Platforms are frequently mentioned with APIs. A complete suite of APIs constitute another type of platform. Platforms frequently are referred to as operating systems as defined above. However they are not always the same thing. For example, 2 other popular non-OS platforms are Java, as mentioned above, and BREW for mobile phones.

Hardware examples

Supercomputer architectures.
DEC Alpha cluster running under OpenVMS.
RISC processor based machines running UNIX variants (for example, Sun computers running the Solaris operating system).
Macintosh, custom Apple Computer hardware and Mac OS operating system (now migrated on x86).
Commodity computer platforms, such as
- WIN32 (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 variants such as BSD variants.
Old home computer microcomputers.
Gumstix full function miniature computers and Linux
A mainframe with its custom operating system, say an IBM System/360.
Any variety of video game console.