This is indeed the thing that Windows has called "shell" before adopting that word for command interpreters (PowerShell).
explorer.exe uses the "ShellApi" to do some of its things, which applications can also use, like launching a file via its associated application (ShellExecute/ShellExecuteEx).
explorer.exe uses the "ShellApi" to do some of its things, which applications can also use, like launching a file via its associated application (ShellExecute/ShellExecuteEx).