What would Win32 be?

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In many places on the internet, I see the expression Win32 but never an explanation about.

Applications Win32, etc.

I’ve always associated with 32 bits, but I don’t think it has to do. A Windows game that uses more than 4 GB of RAM, for example, would be a Win64 application?

windows api

  • I thought if I answered or not. If I understood what you want to know, the question is in the scope, it’s about programming. If I misunderstood, your question will probably be closed because it is not within the scope of our website set at [help/on-topic]

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    It’s about programming. I have doubts whether I search for Win32 programming or if it exists,

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18


It can have several meanings. One of the most common, probably the most correct and which is very related to programming is that Win32 is a name API.

Obviously is the Windows API (in English is much better). And it differs from the old Windows API which was 16 bits. It may seem strange but Windows 64 bit also uses the same API, because Win32 is more of a name than a reference to the actual bit amount that the platform can address or processor register size.

The term "Win32 applications" is usually used in those applications that make direct use of this API. It doesn’t matter if the application has been compiled and is running on a Windows 32 or 64 bit. Of course 64-bit applications can make use of a more modern API, Win64, which is not necessarily a replacement for Win32. Basically it’s the same API with different pointer size. And precisely because it is compiled to run in 64 bits, we say that the application makes use of Win32.

In Windows it is possible to use other Apis, such as WITH, .NET and Winrt (currently UWP), for example. They all end up using Win32 indirectly.

So this hypothetical game you’re talking about probably uses Win64 but can be confused as using Win32, since in practice it’s the same API. It is a 64-bit application to run on Windows 64-bit. You don’t have to hit anyone for saying she’s Win64 but it’s not the right nomenclature.

Just an extra detail: 64-bit applications can address memory greater than 4GB, regardless of whether it is RAM or not (the same goes for 32-bit applications, of course, only in this case the access will be limited to 4GB or 2GB). The access relates to virtual memory. But that’s another matter.

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Differences 32 bits x 64 bits:

32-bit applications will run on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows versions while 64-bit applications only works on 64-bit versions.

One advantage that 64-bit applications are a potential for greater performance and processing, and another is that they can exceed the 32-bit memory limit, allowing them to use more than 4 GB (the limit varies depending on hardware and operating system).

  • It is not entirely true that 32-bit applications run on Windows 64-bit version. What happens is that 32-bit applications run in the emulator WOW64(Windows 32 On Windows 64) that comes with 64-bit version of OS.

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