A self-contained application bundles the runtime components it needs, rather than depending on a runtime installed and maintained separately on the host. This can simplify deployment and help an app run consistently across compatible systems.
In cybersecurity, bundled runtimes affect patching: updating the system runtime may not update copies included in application packages or containers. When a runtime vulnerability is fixed, teams may need to rebuild and republish self-contained apps, then verify the deployed artifacts contain the corrected components. Attackers can target vulnerable runtime code when an exposed application processes input that reaches the affected function.