Difference Between EXE And DLL

Question

Hi friends I want to know What is the difference between an EXE and a DLL ?

Satyapriya Nayak · Answer

Hi Ajay 1.EXE is an extension used for executable files while DLL is the extension for a dynamic link library. 2.An EXE file can be run independently while a DLL is used by other applications. 3.A DLL file can be reused by other applications while an EXE cannot. 4.Exe is for single use whereas you can use Dll for multiple use 5.Dll is an In-Process Component whereas EXE is an OUt-Process Component. 6.You can create an objects of Dll but not of the EXE. Thanks

Vulpes · Answer

In the context of .NET an .exe is an executable application whereas a .dll is a class library for use by other applications or libraries. Technically they are both types of 'assembly' which is a special kind of 'Windows Portable Executable' file that contains intermediate language and metadata rather than native code. An .exe must have an entry point i.e. a Main() method which is where execution begins. This is a static method which has a return type of either int or void and which may have (but doesn't need to have) a string array parameter usually called 'args'. A .dll does not need an entry point and if it does have a Main() method this is just treated as if it were an ordinary method.