Plattformoberoende

Plattformoberoende, often translated as platform independence or cross-platform compatibility, refers to the ability of a software application, system, or technology to function without modification on multiple operating system environments or hardware architectures. This means a program written for one operating system, such as Windows, can run on another, like macOS or Linux, without needing to be rewritten or recompiled for each specific platform.

The goal of platform independence is to maximize reach and accessibility. By developing software that can operate across various platforms, developers can cater to a broader audience without the significant overhead of creating and maintaining separate versions for each operating system. This approach simplifies distribution, reduces development costs, and enhances user experience by allowing individuals to use their preferred operating system without being limited by software availability.

Technologies that enable platform independence include interpreted programming languages like Java (which uses a Java Virtual Machine to abstract hardware and operating system dependencies), web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that run within web browsers on any platform, and portable executables or containerization solutions like Docker. While achieving true, absolute platform independence can be challenging due to inherent differences in hardware and operating system functionalities, striving for a high degree of compatibility is a key objective in modern software development.