Introduction to Compilers, Interpreters, Assemblers & Translators

A is a program that translates the of a high-level programming language (e.g., C, C++, Java) into machine code or an intermediate code in a . It performs a comprehensive analysis of the source code, checking for syntax errors and translating it into an equivalent executable program or binary file. The output of a compiler is usually an , which can be run directly on a computer without the need for the original source code. Compiling each time means it can take longer to develop a program, but the compiled program runs incredibly quickly.

An is a program that reads and executes the source code of a high-level programming language , statement by statement, without creating a separate executable file. It translates and executes code in real-time, which means that it does not produce an independent executable file. Interpreters are commonly used in (e.g., Python, JavaScript) and are well-suited for tasks like rapid prototyping, debugging, and dynamic, interactive environments. The line by line processing results in a .

An is a program that translates code into machine code. Assembly language is a programming language that is specific to a particular computer architecture or processor. The assembler converts into binary machine code that can be directly executed by the CPU. Assemblers are used for programming tasks that require (e.g., device drivers) or for optimizing critical sections of code. Assembly language is typically not as portable or user-friendly as high-level languages, but it offers fine-grained control over hardware resources.