2007-07-04 00:21:59 · 2 answers · asked by defierqais 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
A compiler reads the program source code and creates an executable (machine language binary) file for the host system the program is targeted to run on in advance of running the program. A program only needs to be compiled one time on a given system to be run as many times as you need/want.
An interpreter 'interprets' the source code dynamically (at run time) to run the program on the host system where the program is run, and this 'interpreting' must happen every time the program is run.
Because more work is done at run time, the use of interpreters is typically perceived as relatively slower than use a compiler, but interpreters are very valuable for prototyping and rapidly developing solutions where performance is of little or no concern.
Does this help?
2007-07-04 00:31:05 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A compiler creates machine code runnable representation of a program based on the source code given PRIOR to actual running; but interpreter do the same WHILE actual running of a program and does not leave a permanent copy of running program at the end.
2007-07-04 00:43:04 · answer #2 · answered by Andy T 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋