What is Compilation?
It is the process of converting codes written close to human language into machine language that the computer's processor can understand.
Overview
Computers only understand commands consisting of 0s and 1s. Programmers, on the other hand, use highly readable languages. The compilation process bridges these two worlds, turning the code into an executable file.
How it works
Special software called a compiler scans your source code, checks for errors, and converts it into a binary format that the processor can execute directly.
Where it is used
It is a must-do step before running the program in languages such as C++, Rust and Java.
Commonly confused with
The difference from interpreted languages is that the code is completely transformed before execution, not at run time.
Frequently asked questions
Do all languages need to compile?
No, some languages, such as Python, run the code instantly, line by line, without requiring a compilation process.
Related terms
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