C# : What is Managed or Unmanaged Code

Managed Code
“The code, which is developed in .NET framework is known as managed code. This code is directly executed by CLR with the help of managed code execution. Any language that is written in .NET Framework is managed code”.

Unmanaged Code

The code, which is developed outside .NET framework is known as unmanaged code.

“Applications that do not run under the control of the CLR are said to be unmanaged, and certain languages such as C++ can be used to write such applications, which, for example, access low - level functions of the operating system. Background compatibility with the code of VB, ASP and COM are examples of unmanaged code”.

Unmanaged code can be unmanaged source code and unmanaged compile code. Unmanaged code is executed with the help of wrapper classes.

Wrapper classes are of two types:

• CCW (COM Callable Wrapper).
• RCW (Runtime Callable Wrapper).