.NET IL Assembler

Chapter 4

The Structure of a Managed Executable File

Chapter 1 introduced the managed executable file, known as a managed module and executed in the environment of the common language runtime. In this chapter, I’ll show you the general structure of such a file. The file format of a managed module is an extension of the standard Microsoft Windows Portable Executable and Common Object File Format (PE/COFF). Thus, formally, any managed module is a proper PE/COFF file, with additional features that identify it as a managed executable file.

The file format of a managed module conforms to the Windows PE/COFF standard, and the operating system treats ...