Common Language Runtime consists of various components that provide the run-time environment and run-time services for your applications. The following are the features of CLR:-

1. Load IL code of the application into the runtime


2. Compile the IL Code into the Native Code.


3. Execute the Code


4. Enforce Security


5. Type Safety


6. Memory Management


7. Thread Support


8. CAS (Code Access Security)


9. Provide exception manager, common debugger, interoperability.


10. Garbage Collection


11. Cross language Integration, especially cross Lang. inheritance.

Components of CLR

The following are the components of CLR :-

1. Class Loader: This loads classes into the runtime.


2. MSIL to native code compiler: This converts MSIL code into native code.


3. Code manager: This manager the code during execution i.e provides code check, the resources it needs during execution.


4. Garbage Collector: provide automatic memory management and avoid memory leaks.


5. Security Engine: This enforces security restrictions and CAS.


6. Type Checker: This enforces strict type checking.


7. Thread Support: This provides multithreading support to applications.


8. Exception Manager : This provides a mechanism to handle the run-time exceptions.


9. Debug Engine : Allow you to debug different type of applications.


10. COM marshaler : This allows .net application to exchange data with COM applications.


11. BASE Class library : This provides the types the applications needed at runtime.