Native (computing): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:28, 18 May 2024

Revision as of 03:04, 12 December 2024

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{{see also|Native and foreign format}}

{{Short description|In computing, software or data-formats designed to run on a particular operating system}}

{{Original research|date=February 2023}}

In [[computing]], '''native''' software or data-formats are those that were designed to run on a particular [[operating system]]. In a more technical sense, native code is code written specifically for a certain [[Processor (computing)|processor]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://searchapparchitecture.techtarget.com/definition/native-code|title=What is native code? - Definition from WhatIs.com|website=SearchAppArchitecture|language=en|access-date=2019-11-22}}</ref> In contrast, [[cross-platform software]] can be run on multiple operating systems and/or [[Instruction set|computer architecture]]s.

For example, a [[Game Boy]] receives its software through a [[ROM cartridge|cartridge]], which contains code that runs natively on the Game Boy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/4033/Nintendo-Game-Boy/|title=Nintendo Game Boy - Game Console - Computing History|website=www.computinghistory.org.uk|access-date=2019-11-22}}</ref> The only way to run this code on another processor is to use an [[emulator]], which simulates an actual Game Boy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.howtogeek.com/347530/the-importance-of-emulation-for-games-preservation/|title=Why Are Video Game Emulators So Important? (Because They Preserve Our History)|last=Pot|first=Justin|website=How-To Geek|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-22}}</ref> This usually comes at the cost of speed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-does-emulation-work/|title=How Does Emulation Work and Why Is It So Slow?S
|website=MakeUseOf|language=en-US|access-date=20192018-11-22}}</ref>

== Applications ==