Interview Question
Qus: What is an EXE and a DLL?
Answers (2)
Exe is an executable file. This runs the application for which it is designed. An Exe is generated when we build an application. Hence, the assemblies are loaded directly when we run an Exe. However, an Exe cannot be shared with the other applications.
DLL stands for Dynamic Link Library. It is a library that consists of code that needs to be hidden. The code is encapsulated inside this library. An application can consist of many DLLs. These can be shared with the other applications as well.
Other applications which share this DLL need not worry about the code intricacies as long as it is able to call the function on this DLL.
2)DLLs are not directly executable . They are separate files containing functions that can be called by programs and other DLLs to perform computations and functions whereas an EXE is a program that can be executed, for example, Windows program.
3)Reusability
DLL: They can be reused for some other application. As long as the coder knows the names and parameters of the functions and procedures in the DLL file .
EXE: Only for specific purpose .
4)A DLL would share the same process and memory space of the calling application while an EXE creates its separate process and memory space.
5)Uses
DLL: You want many applications to use it but you don't want to give them the source code You can't copy-paste the code for the button in every program, so you decide you want to create a DL-Library (DLL).
EXE: When we work with project templates like Windows Forms Applications, Console Applications, WPF Applications and Windows Services they generate an exe assembly when compiled.