Summary

We've covered a lot of ground in this chapter. Topics included IL, ILDASM, metadata, and Reflection. The .NET framework certainly gives a hint as to the future of software development. No longer is language a barrier; the .NET platform provides languages targeted to the superior interoperability that, until now, has not been easy to use or extend.

Gone are the days of using IDL and DEF files to describe the interfaces exposed by objects. Rather, all objects, interfaces, and members are fully described with metadata. Those developers who are familiar with Java will appreciate the decision to include Reflection in .NET because it provides a powerful paradigm to extend the life of applications and use new components dynamically.