# What is \`.dll\` executable file of shared library target on DLL platforms?

**URL:** <https://discourse.cmake.org/t/what-is-dll-executable-file-of-shared-library-target-on-dll-platforms/9433>\
**Category:** Code\
**Created:** [November 15, 2023, 12:34pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/what-is-dll-executable-file-of-shared-library-target-on-dll-platforms/9433 "2023-11-15T12:34:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![zhongdongy](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/zhongdongy/32/4008_2.png) [@zhongdongy](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/zhongdongy)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2023, 12:34pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/what-is-dll-executable-file-of-shared-library-target-on-dll-platforms/9433/1 "2023-11-15T12:34:13Z")

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Hi all, I recently read this document [Runtime Output Artifacts](https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/manual/cmake-buildsystem.7.html#runtime-output-artifacts). It mentioned:

> On DLL platforms: the executable file (e.g. `.dll`) of a shared library target created by the [`add_library()`](https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/command/add_library.html#command:add_library) command with the `SHARED` option.

And I think `.dll`s are not executables right? So what does this refer to exactly? And for “DLL platforms”, does this mean Windows platforms?

Thanks very much!

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**Author:** ![fenrir](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/fenrir/32/734_2.png) [@fenrir](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/fenrir)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/what-is-dll-executable-file-of-shared-library-target-on-dll-platforms/9433/2 "2023-11-15T13:28:40Z")

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`.dll`s are executable in a sense they contain executable code, however they lack appropriate structures to be executed as a standalone program.

I think for most intents and purpose “DLL Platforms” = “Windows”. There will be edge cases, like ReactOS, but I wouldn’t worry about those unless I had already known I have to worry about them 😉

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![zhongdongy](https://discourse.cmake.org/user_avatar/discourse.cmake.org/zhongdongy/32/4008_2.png) [@zhongdongy](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/zhongdongy)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2023, 3:23pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/what-is-dll-executable-file-of-shared-library-target-on-dll-platforms/9433/3 "2023-11-15T15:23:04Z")

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Thank you! 🌹

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**Author:** ![ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2023, 2:27am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/what-is-dll-executable-file-of-shared-library-target-on-dll-platforms/9433/4 "2023-11-19T02:27:22Z")

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> [@fenrir](#):
>
> I think for most intents and purpose “DLL Platforms” = “Windows”.

AIX as well, but this is probably not a target platform here…