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# What is COM?
- URL: https://nolongerset.com/under-100-com/
- Published: 2022-03-06T04:06:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-08T12:59:17.000Z
- Description: The concept of COM explained in under 100 words. #Under100
- Author: Mike Wolfe
- Tags: Under 100, COM, #Import 2026-05-20 02:59

The Component Object Model–COM–is a language-independent binary standard.

That's a mouthful, so let's break it down. COM provides an agreed-upon (i.e., **standard)** way of organizing bits (i.e., **binary** digits; i.e., 0's and 1's) in memory. Because the standard works at the lowest levels of data storage, it does not rely on any particular language's approach to programming (i.e., it's **language-independent**).

Basically, COM allows different programming languages to communicate with each other via the universal language of computers: ones and zeroes.

*Image by [Gerd Altmann](https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=475664) from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=475664)*

### Further reading

[What the #$%& is COM!?One of the most important concepts in VBA is also one of the least understood. Let’s shine a light on the Component Object Model.![](https://nolongerset.com/favicon.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2021/11/woman-1820868_1920.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/what-the-heck-is-com/)