title: C# compiling for 32/64 bit, or for 'Any CPU'?
body: <blockquote>
  <p><strong>Possible Duplicate:</strong> <br />
  <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/516730/visual-studio-any-cpu-target">What does the Visual Studio &quot;Any CPU&quot; target mean?</a></p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I've noticed that when compiling C# code in Visual Studio, there are typically options for compiling for 32/64 bit systems, and there's also one for compiling for <em><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20151215192101/http://visualstudiohacks.com/articles/visual-studio-net-platform-target-explained/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Any CPU</a></em>.</p>
  <p>What's the difference between the two options? Does choosing <em>Any CPU</em> only compile down to an intermediate byte code while the first option compiles down to machine code (this sounds unlikely to me)? Or something else?</p>