platform-dependent code

noun

UK /ˈplætfɔːm dɪˈpɛndənt kəʊd/

US /ˈplætfɔːrm dɪˈpɛndənt koʊd/

Code that only works on one kind of computer or system.

The game's platform-dependent code had to be rewritten before it could run on phones.

SYNONYMS

system-specific code non-portable code machine-specific code OS-specific code

RELATED WORDS

portability cross-platform compiler operating system abstraction layer

OTHER MEANINGS

2. Software that relies on features unique to a particular hardware or operating system.

Drivers often contain platform-dependent code that talks directly to the hardware.

3. A section of a program that must be changed for each target environment.

The developers isolated the platform-dependent code so the rest could be shared.

4. Code whose behavior differs between Windows, macOS, and Linux.

File paths are a common source of platform-dependent code.