Editing Cross compiler (section)

=== .NET and beyond ===
In 2001 Microsoft developed the [[Common Language Runtime]] (CLR), which formed the core for their [[.NET Framework]] compiler in the Visual Studio IDE. This layer on the operating system which is in the [[Application programming interface|API]] allows the mixing of development languages compiled across platforms that run the Windows operating system.

The .NET Framework runtime and CLR provide a mapping layer to the core routines for the processor and the devices on the target computer. The command-line C compiler in Visual Studio will compile native code for a variety of processors and can be used to build the core routines themselves.

Microsoft .NET applications for target platforms like [[Windows Mobile]] on the [[ARM architecture family|ARM architecture]] cross-compile on Windows machines with a variety of processors and Microsoft also offer emulators and remote deployment environments that require very little configuration, unlike the cross compilers in days gone by or on other platforms.

Runtime libraries, such as [[Mono (software)|Mono]], provide compatibility for cross-compiled .NET programs to other operating systems, such as [[Linux]].

Libraries like [[Qt (software)|Qt]] and its predecessors including [[XVT]] provide source code level cross development capability with other platforms, while still using Microsoft C to build the Windows versions. Other compilers like [[MinGW]] have also become popular in this area since they are more directly compatible with the Unixes that comprise the non-Windows side of software development allowing those developers to target all platforms using a familiar build environment.