Translators
The most general term for a software code converting tool is
“translator.” A translator, in software programming terms, is a generic term
that could refer to a compiler, assembler, or interpreter; anything that
converts higher level code into another high-level code (e.g., Basic, C++,
Fortran, Java) or lower-level (i.e., a language that the processor can
understand), such as assembly language or machine code. If you don’t know what
the tool actually does other than that it accomplishes some level of code
conversion to a specific target language, then you can safely call it a
translator.
Compilers
Compilers convert high-level language code to machine (object) code in one session. Compilers can take a while, because they have to translate high-level code to lower-level machine language all at once and then save the executable object code to memory. A compiler creates machine code that runs on a processor with a specific Instruction Set Architecture (ISA), which is processor-dependent. For example, you cannot compile code for an x86 and run it on a MIPS architecture without a special compiler. Compilers are also platform-dependent. That is, a compiler can convert C++, for example, to machine code that’s targeted at a platform that is running the Linux OS. A cross-compiler, however, can generate code for a platform other than the one it runs on itself.
Compilers convert high-level language code to machine (object) code in one session. Compilers can take a while, because they have to translate high-level code to lower-level machine language all at once and then save the executable object code to memory. A compiler creates machine code that runs on a processor with a specific Instruction Set Architecture (ISA), which is processor-dependent. For example, you cannot compile code for an x86 and run it on a MIPS architecture without a special compiler. Compilers are also platform-dependent. That is, a compiler can convert C++, for example, to machine code that’s targeted at a platform that is running the Linux OS. A cross-compiler, however, can generate code for a platform other than the one it runs on itself.
Interpreters
Another way to get code to run on your processor is to use an interpreter, which is not the same as a compiler. An interpreter translates code like a compiler but reads the code and immediately executes on that code, and therefore is initially faster than a compiler. Thus, interpreters are often used in software development tools as debugging tools, as they can execute a single in of code at a time. Compilers translate code all at once and the processor then executes upon the machine language that the compiler produced. If changes are made to the code after compilation, the changed code will need to be compiled and added to the compiled code (or perhaps the entire program will need to be re-compiled.) But an interpreter, although skipping the step of compilation of the entire program to start, is much slower to execute than the same program that’s been completely compiled.
Another way to get code to run on your processor is to use an interpreter, which is not the same as a compiler. An interpreter translates code like a compiler but reads the code and immediately executes on that code, and therefore is initially faster than a compiler. Thus, interpreters are often used in software development tools as debugging tools, as they can execute a single in of code at a time. Compilers translate code all at once and the processor then executes upon the machine language that the compiler produced. If changes are made to the code after compilation, the changed code will need to be compiled and added to the compiled code (or perhaps the entire program will need to be re-compiled.) But an interpreter, although skipping the step of compilation of the entire program to start, is much slower to execute than the same program that’s been completely compiled.
Assemblers
An assembler translates a program written in assembly language into machine language and is effectively a compiler for the assembly language, but can also be used interactively like an interpreter. Assembly language is a low-level programming language. Low-level programming languages are less like human language in that they are more difficult to understand at a glance; you have to study assembly code carefully in order to follow the intent of execution and in most cases, assembly code has many more lines of code to represent the same functions being executed as a higher-level language. An assembler converts assembly language code into machine code (also known as object code), an even lower-level language that the processor can directly understand.
An assembler translates a program written in assembly language into machine language and is effectively a compiler for the assembly language, but can also be used interactively like an interpreter. Assembly language is a low-level programming language. Low-level programming languages are less like human language in that they are more difficult to understand at a glance; you have to study assembly code carefully in order to follow the intent of execution and in most cases, assembly code has many more lines of code to represent the same functions being executed as a higher-level language. An assembler converts assembly language code into machine code (also known as object code), an even lower-level language that the processor can directly understand.
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