Global Assembly Cache

The GAC (Global Assembly Cache) is a machine wide cache that contains the assemblies that are shared by multiple applications.
The global assembly cache stores assemblies specifically designated to be shared by several applications on the computer.
Install assembly in GAC only if required.

GAC is used in the following situations:

1. If the application has to be shared among several applications.
2. If assembly has special security requirement.

There are two ways to deploy an assembly into the global assembly cache:

1. Use utility called as "Global assembly cache tool (Gacutil.exe), provided by Windows Software Development Kit (SDK)
2. Use an installer designed to work with GAC.

Requirement to install assembly in GAC.

• Assembly should be Strongly named.
• Assembly residing in the GAC must adhere to a specific versioning scheme which allows for side-by-side execution of different code versions.

That's it for now.

Keep smiling.....
Keep programming......

Regards,

Mahesh Bagul

( Mahesh Bagul )
Sr.Software Engineer
Pune, India