Compiler: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when referring to a program that translates code from a high-level programming language to a lower-level language, usually machine code, in a single run.

• The compiler detected an error in the code
• Java relies on a compiler to convert source code into bytecode

Use when referring to a person or software that translates text from one language to another. In programming, it can also mean software that translates code from one programming language to another.

• The translator converted the entire document from English to Spanish
• In programming, a source-to-source translator can convert code from Python to Java

Use when referring to a program that directly executes instructions written in a programming or scripting language without requiring them to be compiled into machine code first.

• Python uses an interpreter rather than a compiler
• The interpreter allows for quick debugging since it executes code line by line

Use when talking about a tool that changes data from one format to another without particularly being tied to programming languages.

• I used a file converter to change the PDF to a Word document
• An audio converter can turn an MP3 file into a WAV file