What are the exact differences between a DLL and an EXE file?

The main difference lies in how they operate. An EXE file always runs in its own address space as a separate process, with its own entry point for execution. Its purpose is to launch a standalone application. On the other hand, a DLL file needs a host EXE to run and can never run in its own address space. Its purpose is to contain a collection of methods or classes that can be reused by other applications. Additionally, DLLs are Microsoft’s implementation of shared libraries, and while the file format of DLLs and EXEs is essentially the same, Windows recognizes the difference between them through the PE Header in the file.

.EXE Files	.DLL Files
.EXE files are executable files primarily used for running applications.	.DLL files are dynamic link libraries used to store reusable code and provide the functionality to other programs.
They contain the entire application code, resources, and dependencies.	They contain code and resources that can be shared among multiple programs.
.EXE files are standalone and can be directly executed by the user.	.DLL files are loaded and used by other programs at runtime.
They are typically used for running standalone software applications.	They are used to provide common functionality or libraries that multiple programs can utilize.