Language Environment eliminates incompatibilities among language-specific runtime environments. Routines call one another within one common runtime environment, eliminating the need for initialization and termination of a language-specific runtime environment with each call. This makes interlanguage communication (ILC) in mixed-language applications easier, more efficient, and more consistent.

This ILC capability also means that you can share and reuse code easily. You can write a service routine in the language of your choice (C/C++, COBOL, PL/I, or assembler) and allow that routine to be called from C/C++, COBOL, PL/I, or assembler applications. Similarly, vendors can write one application package in the language of their choice, and allow the application package to be called from C/C++, PL/I, and assembler routines or from Fortran or COBOL programs.

In addition, Language Environment lets you use the best language for any task. Some programming languages are better suited for certain tasks. Language Environment's improved interlanguage communication (ILC) allows the best language to be used for any given application task. Many programmers, each experienced in a different programming language, can work together to build applications with component routines written in a variety of languages. Language Environment's enhanced ILC allows you to build applications with component routines written in a variety of languages. The result is code that runs faster, is less prone to errors, and is easier to maintain.