Technology
What is A compiler?
A compiler is a program that translates code written by humans into machine code a computer can run directly. It takes a whole program written in a language like C or Java and converts it into fast, executable instructions.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a compiler.
Key things to understand
- 1It translates human-written code into machine code.
- 2It processes the whole program before running.
- 3Compiled programs tend to run fast.
- 4It contrasts with interpreters, which run code line by line.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a compiler do?
- It translates source code written by programmers into machine code the computer can execute directly.
- What's the difference between a compiler and an interpreter?
- A compiler translates the whole program ahead of time; an interpreter runs it line by line as it goes.
- Why are compiled programs fast?
- They're already translated into low-level machine instructions, so the computer runs them directly.