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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* [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}}