compiler
A program that converts another programfrom somesource language (orprogramming language) tomachine language (object code). Some compilers outputassembly language which is then converted tomachinelanguage by a separateassembler.
A compiler is distinguished from an assembler by the fact thateach input statement does not, in general, correspond to asingle machine instruction or fixed sequence of instructions.A compiler may support such features as automatic allocationof variables, arbitrary arithmetic expressions, controlstructures such as FOR and WHILE loops, variablescope,input/ouput operations,higher-order functions andportability of source code.AUTOCODER, written in 1952, was possibly the first primitivecompiler.Laning and Zierler's compiler, written in1953-1954, was possibly the first true working algebraiccompiler.See alsobyte-code compiler,native compiler,optimisingcompiler.Last updated:1994-11-07
Nearby terms:
Compiled HTML ♦compiler ♦COmpiler and GENeralized Translator ♦compiler compiler
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