Metadata

Metadata is machine -readable information about a resource, or "data about data." Such information might include details on content, format, size, or other characteristics of a data source. In .NET, metadata includes type definitions, version information, external assembly references, and other standardized information. In order for two components, systems, or objects to interoperate with one another, at least one must know something about the other. In COM, this "something" is an interface specification, which is implemented by a component provider and used by its consumers. In .NET, metadata is a common mechanism or dialect that the .NET runtime, compilers, and tools can all use. Microsoft .NET uses metadata to describe all types that are used and exposed by a particular .NET assembly. Metadata includes descriptions of an assembly and modules, classes, interfaces, methods, properties, fields, events, global methods, and so forth. .NET assemblies are deployable units and manifests are the metadata that describes the assemblies.