Runtime environment
The environment in which a program executes and accesses the functions made available to it.
What is a runtime environment?
A runtime environment provides the conditions and functions for executing a program. Depending on the environment, these include language execution and interfaces to system resources. The programming language alone does not fully determine those capabilities. JavaScript in a browser and in Node.js, for example, uses different environment facilities.
In a fictional portal, browser code changes a displayed form through document. If that code runs unchanged on a server with Node.js, this browser object is not simply available there. For handover, the team therefore records the target environment, supported version and required interfaces. Having code compiled or bundled does not establish that it works in the intended runtime environment.
Sources
Related terms
- CompilerA program that translates source code into another target representation.
- Build processThe defined workflow that produces software artifacts from inputs such as source code and dependencies.
- BundlerA tool that groups connected modules and resources into files for delivery.
- Legacy systemAn existing system still in use, with technical and business dependencies accumulated over time.
- Multi-tenancyMulti-tenancy supports separate customer or group scopes in one solution. A tenant is not automatically one person or one database.
- Browser cacheThe browser cache stores suitable HTTP responses for later use. Reuse and revalidation follow the applicable rules.
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