The present invention relates to computer systems and methods for providing a memory buffer for use with native and platform-independent software code.In a particular embodiment, the method includes providing a first software program compiled to platform-independent code for execution in a first process of the computer system, providing a second software program compiled to native code for execution in a second process of the computer system, and sending a message from the first process to the second process to request a memory buffer.In another particular embodiment, the computer system includes a processor and a memory. The computer system includes a first process to execute a first software program coded in a safe language, a second process to execute a second software program coded in an unsafe language, and an inter-process communication mechanism that allows data message communication between the first process and the second process. The inter-process communication mechanism includes a command that provides for transmission of a message from the first process to the second process to request creation of a direct buffer that is mapped from both the first process and the second process to a common memory area.