Microsoft Windows library files: Difference between revisions

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Unlike [[Win32]] applications, native applications instantiate within the Kernel runtime code ([[ntoskrnl.exe]]) and so they must have a different entry point ('''NtProcessStartup''', rather than '''(w)(Win)MainCRTStartup''' as is found in a Win32 application),<ref name="nativeapplications"/> obtain their command-line arguments via a pointer to an in-memory structure, manage their own memory using the '''Rtl''' heap API, (which the Win32 heap APIs are just wrappers around—no real difference there) and return execution with a call to '''RtlExitUserProcess''' (as opposed to '''ExitProcess'''). A common library linked with Native applications is nt.lib, which contains startup code for Native applications, similar to how the C runtime provides startup code for Win32 apps.<ref name="nativeapplications" />

Though mostMost of the Native API is not publicly documented or supported. This allows the API to evolve without having to guarantee retro-[[backwards compatibility]], and breaking changes are thus possible without notification. Native Applications can be built using the Windows Driver Development Kit.<ref>{{cite web | title=Windows Server 2003 DDK | website=[[Microsoft]] | url=http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/ddk/default.mspx }}</ref>

== Win32 API ==

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With Version 14.0 ([[Visual_Studio|Visual Studio 2015]]), most of the C/C++ runtime was moved into a new DLL, UCRTBASE.DLL, which conforms closely with C99.<ref name="upgrade your code">{{cite web | title=Upgrade your code to the Universal CRT | url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/porting/upgrade-your-code-to-the-universal-crt?view=msvc-170 }}</ref> '''Universal C Run Time''' ('''UCRT''') from Windows 10 onwards become a component part of Windows,<ref name="upgrade your code" /> so every compiler (either non MS, like [[GNU_Compiler_Collection|GCC]] or [[Clang]]/[[LLVM]]) can link against UCRT.<ref>{{cite web | title=MSYS2 - Environments | url=https://www.msys2.org/docs/environments/ }}</ref> Additionally, C/C++ programs using UCRTBASE.DLL need to link against another new DLL, the Visual C++ Runtime. At Version 14.0, this was VCRUNTIME140.DLL.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/porting/binary-compat-2015-2017?view=msvc-170 | title=C++ binary compatibility 2015-2022 | date=30 January 2025}}</ref> The name has the potential to change at future versions, but has not done so as far as of Version 17.0.

Source code for runtime libraries is included in Visual C++<ref>{{cite web | url=httphttps://msdnlearn.microsoft.com/en-us/libraryprevious-versions/visualstudio/visual-studio-6.0/aa296413(v=vs.60).aspx | title=Source Code for the C Run-Time Functions | date=15 September 2006 }}</ref> for reference and debugging (e.g. in <code>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\VC\crt\src</code>).

=== Other runtime libraries ===

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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060315213024/http://www.sysinternals.com/Information/NativeApi.html Native API reference]

* [http://undocumented.ntinternals.net/ Unofficial website that documents most of the Native API methods]

* [httphttps://uberskill.blogspot.com/2012/07/retrieving-kernel32dll-base-address.html Retrieving the KERNEL32.DLL base address]

{{Windows Components}}