Silverlight Plugin May 2026

1. Executive Summary Microsoft Silverlight was a browser-based plug-in designed to deliver rich internet applications (RIAs), high-definition video, and interactive media experiences. Launched in 2007 as a competitor to Adobe Flash, it was notable for supporting .NET languages (C#, VB.NET), cross-platform functionality (Windows, macOS), and advanced media features like Smooth Streaming and hardware-accelerated video decoding. However, due to the rise of HTML5, declining market adoption, and security vulnerabilities, Microsoft ended support for Silverlight on October 12, 2021 . It is now considered obsolete and is not recommended for use in modern web environments. 2. Background & Development | Attribute | Details | |-----------|---------| | Developer | Microsoft Corporation | | Initial Release | September 5, 2007 | | Final Stable Release | 5.1.50918.0 (May 2019) | | End of Support | October 12, 2021 | | Primary Purpose | Rich Internet Applications (RIA), cross-platform media streaming |