Question
What is the difference between an interpreter and a compiler?
Answer
An interpreter directly executes instructions written in a programming language without converting them into machine code beforehand. It reads the source code line by line, interprets it, and performs the specified operations immediately. This approach is often used during the debugging stage of program development because it allows for interactive execution and immediate feedback on code changes (Tucker, 2004; Burkhardt, 1989). Examples of interpreted languages include Python and JavaScript, where the interpreter executes the code directly (Amin and Rompf, 2017; Cazzola and Favalli, 2022).
A compiler translates the entire source code of a program into machine code or an intermediate code before execution. This process involves several phases, including lexical analysis, syntax analysis, semantic analysis, optimization, and code generation (Louden and Mak, 2014; Tucker, 2004). The compiled code is then executed by the machine, which typically results in faster execution compared to interpreted code. Compiled languages include C and C++, where the source code is transformed into an executable file that can be run independently of the compiler (Louden and Mak, 2014; Nunes-Harwitt, 2014).
Interpreted languages include:
Python: Python code is executed by an interpreter, which allows for dynamic typing and interactive execution (Amin and Rompf, 2017).
JavaScript: Often used in web development, JavaScript is interpreted by web browsers, enabling dynamic content on web pages (Cazzola and Favalli, 2022).
Compiled languages include:
C: A classic example of a compiled language, C code is transformed into machine code that can be executed directly by the computer’s hardware (Louden and Mak, 2014).
C++: Similar to C, C++ is compiled into machine code, allowing for efficient execution of complex applications (Louden and Mak, 2014).
Interpreters and compilers serve different purposes in the execution of programming languages. Interpreters provide flexibility and ease of debugging by executing code line by line, while compilers offer performance advantages by translating the entire program into machine code before execution. Understanding the differences between these two approaches helps in choosing the right tool for specific programming tasks.
References
Amin, N., & Rompf, T., 2017. Collapsing towers of interpreters. Proceedings of the ACM on Programming Languages, 2, pp. 1 – 33. https://doi.org/10.1145/3158140
Louden, K., & Mak, R., 2014. Compilers and Interpreters. **, pp. 68: 1-37. https://doi.org/10.1201/B16812-77
Tucker, A., 2004. Compilers and Interpreters. **, pp. 2379-2408. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203494455-101
Nunes-Harwitt, A., 2014. A Transformation-Based Foundation for Semantics-Directed Code Generation. **.
Burkhardt, W., 1989. Compilation or interpretation. **, pp. 436. https://doi.org/10.1145/75427.1030262
Cazzola, W., & Favalli, L., 2022. The language mutation problem: Leveraging language product lines for mutation testing of interpreters. J. Syst. Softw., 195, pp. 111533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2022.111533
