What Does CLS Stand For?

CLS is the short form or abbreviation for the Common Language Specification. It is a fundamental class or set of language features that the Common Language Runtime (CLR) of the .NET Framework supports.

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CLS functions as a guide or monitor for library and compiler writers.

CLS is basically a component or part of the specifications of the .NET Framework created to help and support language constructs mostly applied by programmers to create codes that can be verified. Such an act facilitates all CLS-class compliant languages to guarantee the type safety of code.

Features of CLS:

• It has features common to many object-oriented programming languages.
• It is a subset of the operation of the Common Type System.

Pros of CLS:

CLS has several benefits. The main benefits are listed below:

• It permits flexibility in using non-compliant types in the internal implementation of components with CLS-compliant requirements.
• It functions as an active tool for integrating different languages into one unit that does not have frills.  
• For libraries CLS is very useful as it permits the libraries to be fully usable in an integrated manner from any language supporting the CLS.

Cons of CLS

CLS has certain disadvantages as well as given below:

• As a particular language specification may not be understood by other programming languages, the CLS sometimes creates some problems. This is primarily due to the reason that the .NET Framework uses many languages like C#, VB.NET and J#. Since these languages follow their own syntactical rules for writing the code, the CLS may not sometimes understand it.  
• Sometimes, CLS poses some problems to the programmer as CLS sets guidelines that must be supported by all languages that target CLR. The problems may crop up if the programme is not complying with such set guidelines of the CLS.

In Conclusion:

CLS determines or guides the basic laws that must be followed for any language targeting common language infrastructure to include with other CLS-compliant languages.