Definition: The Component Object Model (COM) enables programmers to develop objects that can be accessed by any COM-compliant application. Both OLE and ActiveX are based on COM.
The key aspect of COM is that it enables communication between clients and servers through interfaces. Information about these interfaces is usually included in a type library.
COM allows you to create COM objects that are not specific to any language, and in some cases, even platforms. For instance, COM objects can be ported to a Unix system. COM also allows you to create COM Objects that will be instantiated on a different machine across the world if you so desired.
Although often associated with Microsoft, COM is an open standard that specifies how components work together and interoperate.
Also Known As: Component Object Model
