Chapter 8: The .NET Common Language Runtime

What Is Done Under the Hood Does Matter

If there were such a thing as an "under-the-hood" type of chapter, this chapter would certainly fit the mold. The common language runtime (CLR) and its various features are well hidden. Even worse , the CLR's most important tasks are done automatically for the most part. Nevertheless, a full understanding of the CLR could easily separate those who simply develop using .NET from those who use .NET to develop.

In this chapter, I introduce the basic features of the CLR. I explore one of the CLR's features, the garbage collector (GC), in detail, particularly the role that the GC plays in memory management.