LoadLibraryFreeLibrary

LoadLibrary and FreeLibrary are functions in the Windows API used for dynamic linking of DLLs. LoadLibrary is used to load a DLL into the address space of the calling process. It takes the path to the DLL as an argument and returns a handle to the loaded module if successful, or NULL if an error occurs. This handle can then be used to access functions and data within the DLL.

Once a DLL is no longer needed, FreeLibrary is used to unload it from the process's address space. This function also takes the module handle as an argument and decrements the reference count of the DLL. When the reference count reaches zero, the DLL is unloaded, and its resources are released.

It is crucial to pair every successful LoadLibrary call with a corresponding FreeLibrary call to prevent memory leaks and other resource management issues. Incorrect usage, such as calling FreeLibrary for a module that was not loaded by LoadLibrary or calling it more times than LoadLibrary, can lead to instability and program crashes.

Developers typically use LoadLibrary and FreeLibrary when they need to load functionality from a DLL at runtime rather than linking it statically at compile time. This allows for more flexible application design, enabling features to be added or removed dynamically without recompiling the main executable. It is also a common technique for implementing plugin architectures.