Introduction to Language Environment

Language Environment provides a common runtime environment for IBM® versions of certain high-level languages (HLLs), namely, C, C++, COBOL, Fortran, and PL/I, in which you can run existing applications written in previous versions of these languages as well as in the current versions. Before Language Environment, each of the HLLs had to provide a separate runtime environment.

Language Environment combines essential and commonly used runtime services, such as routines for runtime message handling, condition handling, storage management, date and time services, and math functions, and makes them available through a set of interfaces that are consistent across programming languages. With Language Environment, you can use one runtime environment for your applications, regardless of the application's programming language or system resource needs because most system dependencies have been removed.

Language Environment provides compatible support for existing HLL applications; most existing single-language applications can run under Language Environment without being recompiled or relink-edited. POSIX-conforming C applications can use all Language Environment services.