title: Windows Phone 8 - Native and CLR Runtime
body: <p>I am just beginning developing applications for Windows Phone 8, and I have a few questions about the different runtime environments that are running on such a device. I am probably not searching the web correctly as I am not able to find any answers that I fully understand or give the details I need (if you have any links, any sharing is much appreciated!).</p>
  
  <p>1) Coming from the C++ and C# Desktop world, I'd really like to know what "kind" of native and CLR runtime are actually running on a Windows Phone 8 OS. For instance, the most common C++ runtime on desktops is the MSVCR the Visual C++ compiler links to, or the full-blown .NET framework CLR implementation many i.e. C# applications are referencing. A Windows CE system has it's mscorlib resp. the .NET Compact Framework. These things are totally clear for me.</p>
  
  <p>But as far as I have gathered, a Windows Phone 8 OS runs on the WinRT and the CoreCLR (which I have only heared about when it comes to Silverlight somehow). Is this a correct statement?</p>
  
  <p>2) If my first assumption is correct: I have a C# application which P/Invokes a native C++ DLL - the code for both of them is portable between Dekstop-Windows and WindowsCE (where the C++ DLL gets compiled for x86/x64/ARM, depending on the target system). Would I somehow be able to just "target" WP8 and run that application on such a device without severe code changes? Or must there be an extra port for WP8? Without knowing more about the runtime environment of the system, I really can't answer that question myself :(</p>
  
  <p>I can't fully grasp the compatibilites and differences between all these worlds, especially as I don't really know much about WinRT/CoreCLR and whether they actually play a role in Windows Phone 8 or not. I am aware that these are all totally different technologies, don't worry, but I'd like to know where they all fit in the whole picture. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the different frameworks and technologies Microsoft throws out there, I hope this is understandable.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks for any answers!</p>