earlybound

Early binding, or early-bound, is a programming term for resolving references to types, methods, and members at compile time rather than at runtime. In statically typed languages, the compiler determines which method to call based on the declared type of a variable, producing static binding. This is contrasted with late binding (dynamic binding), where the exact method or member is chosen during execution, often through reflection, dynamic typing, or runtime dispatch.

In practice, early binding enables compile-time type checking, better tooling support, and typically faster execution due to direct calls. It requires that the types and assemblies be available at compile time. Late binding offers more flexibility when working with unknown or changing types, as it does not require prior knowledge of specific interfaces or classes, but it incurs runtime overhead and weaker type safety.

Common contexts include .NET and COM interop, where developers can generate strongly typed interop assemblies to access COM components with compile-time type checking (early-bound interop). Conversely, dynamic or reflection-based approaches access COM objects at runtime without compile-time type information (late-bound).

A notable related usage is in Microsoft Dynamics CRM/365 development, where early-bound proxy classes generated from metadata provide strongly typed access to CRM entities, fields, and relationships, in contrast to late-bound code that uses string-based or dynamic access patterns.

Overall, early binding emphasizes compile-time resolution and safety, trading some flexibility for performance and tooling benefits. It is most effective when type information is stable and available at build time.