Platform defines a standard around which a system can be developed. Or, in another words a platform is any base of technologies on which other technologies or processes are built. Once the platform has been defined, software developers can produce appropriate software and managers can purchase appropriate hardware and applications.
The term cross-platform refers to applications, formats, or devices that work on different platforms. For example, a cross-platform programming environment (e.g. Java) enables a programmer to develop programs for many platforms at once.

A platform is a crucial element in software development. A platform might be simply defined as a place to launch software. The platform provider offers the software developer an undertaking that logic code (a general term for bytecode, source code and machine code) will run consistently as long as the platform is in place. [1]

Kinds of Computing Platforms

Operating System Platform

The term, platform, is often used as a synonym of operating system (OS) (e.g. Phantom OS). OS is a program that allows you to interact with the computer - all of the software and hardware on your computer, by one of the following ways:

With Unix you have in general the option of using either command-lines (more control and flexibility) or GUIs (easier). See more about OS: link1, link2, link3
In 2010 you will be familiar with Google Chrome OS

What is platform as a service? (PaaS) is a paradigm for delivering operating systems and associated services over the Internet without downloads or installation. PaaS is sometimes called "cloudware" because it moves resources from privately owned computers into the Internet "cloud".

Followings are well-known opearating systems:

Hardware Platform and Virtualization

Software Platform ⇧

A platform is a crucial element in software development. A platform might be simply defined as 'a place to launch software'. It is an agreement that the platform provider gave to the software developer that logic code will interpret consistently as long as the platform is running on top of other platforms. Platforms are frequently mentioned with APIs. A complete suite of APIs constitute another type of platform called software platform. Software Platforms frequently are dependent to operating systems. However, this is not always true. For example, two popular non-OS dependent platforms (Platform Independent Computing ) are Java, and BREW for mobile phones[2].

Embedded & Phone Platform

Android is an open source and Linux-based operating system for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. Android was developed by the Open Handset Alliance, led by Google, and other companies. Android provides a rich application framework that allows you to build innovative apps and games for mobile devices in a Java language environment. Also, see Java ME, Java Card platforms.

Android Tutorials: Introduction to Android • Development with Android and Eclipse • Building Your First App • Android Development Starter Tutorials • Android Programming Tutorial

Embedded and Phone Platforms

Infrastructure & Application Platform ⇧

Application Programming Interface

Application Programming Interface (API) is the specific method prescribed by a computer operating system or by an application program by which a programmer writing an application program can make requests of the operating system or another application[3].

Other Tools: Java Toolkit • Programmer's Corner • WebDev. Tools • Database Tools • Modeling & Design • Multimedia • Maths and Science

References

  1. 1. Computing platform
  2. 2. Webopedia
  3. 3. SearchExchange
  4. Operating System Tutorial
  5. Operating Systems
  6. OS Development Series
  7. www.soft.uz