Dynamic-link library

This article is about the OS/2 and Windows implementation. For dynamic linking of libraries in general, see Dynamic linker.
Not to be confused with Dynamically loaded library.
Dynamic-link library
Filename extension
.dll
Internet media type
application/vnd.microsoft.portable-executable
Uniform Type Identifier (UTI)com.microsoft.windows-dynamic-link-library
Magic numberMZ
Developed byMicrosoft
Container forShared library

A dynamic-link library (DLL) is a shared library in the Microsoft Windows or OS/2 operating system.

A DLL can contain executable code (functions), data, and resources, in any combination.