A Model of Dynamic Binding in .NET

Millions of programmers use ECMACLI-compliant languages like VB.NET and C#. The resulting bytecode can be executed on several CLI implementations, such as those from Microsoft and the open-source Mono organisation. While assemblies are the standard unit of deployment, no standard exists for the process of finding and loading assemblies at run-time. The process is typically complex, and varies between CLI implementations. Unlike other linking stages, such as verification, it is visible to programmers and can be a source of confusion. We offer a framework that describes how assemblies are resolved, loaded and used in CLI implementations. We strive for implementationindependence and note how implementations from different organisations vary in behaviour. We describe the reflection features available for dynamic loading, and give C# examples that exercise the features modelled in the framework.