Appendix E. Cross-Language Code Interoperability

An important feature of Microsoft .NET is the common language runtime (CLR) support for multiple languages. As well as enabling applications written in different languages to run, CLR support for cross-language integration allows components developed in one language to be used and extended by components developed in other languages. Specifically, this allows

• Classes defined in one language to be inherited and extended by classes defined in another language, including support for overriding virtual methods.

• Interfaces defined in one language to be implemented by types defined in another language.

• The instantiation and use of types written in other languages, including the passing of types defined in another language as parameters.

• The handling of exceptions thrown by components written in another language.