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compiler

(1) Software that converts a set of high-level language statements into a lower-level representation. For example, a help compiler converts a text document embedded with appropriate commands into...

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Dictionary

Definition: compiler

(1) Software that converts a set of high-level language statements into a lower-level representation. For example, a help compiler converts a text document embedded with appropriate commands into an online help system. A dictionary compiler converts terms and definitions into a dictionary lookup system.

(2) Software that translates a program written in a high-level programming language (C/C++, COBOL, etc.) into machine language. A compiler usually generates assembly language first and then translates the assembly language into machine language. A utility known as a "linker" then combines all required machine language modules into an executable program that can run in the computer. See optimizing compiler.

The following is a conceptual example of source code being converted to assembly language and machine code by the compiler:

  Source Code
  IF COUNT=10
  GOTO END-OF-JOB
   ELSE
  GOTO COMPUTE-AGAIN
  ENDIF
  Assembly Language  Machine Language
  Compare A to B     Compare 3477 2883
  If equal go to C   If = go to 23732
  Go to D            Go to 23119
  Machine Code
  10010101001010001010100
  10101010010101001001010
  10100101010001010010010




compiler

From C to Assembly Language
A C/C++ compiler converts C and C++ code into assembly language as shown in this example. The red arrows point to various function calls, and the assembly code to perform those calls follows each statement.



compiler

Compilers and Interpreters
Compiled programs (right) are translated into the machine language of the target computer. Interpreted programs (left and center) are either kept in their original source code or are precompiled into an intermediate form. In both cases, an interpreter is required to translate the program into machine language at runtime, whereas the compiled program is \"ready to go.\"





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  • Microsoft delivers developer preview of Roslyn compiler as a service

    Microsoft has made available a test build of its "Roslyn" compiler as a service technology. The final release will be some time after Visual Studio 2012, officials are now confirming.

    Blog posts | October 19, 2011 12:02pm PDT

  • Microsoft's Roslyn 'compiler as a service' support unlikely to be in Visual Studio 2012

    Roslyn, Microsoft's project to open up the VB and C# compilers to support 'compiler as a service' scenarios, looks to be a post-Visual Studio 2012 deliverable.

    Blog posts | October 5, 2011 8:22am PDT

  • Microsoft moves forward with 'Roslyn' compiler as a service project

    Microsoft plans to share more information on its "Roslyn" compiler-as-a-service (CaaS) project during its annual Microsoft Research Faculty Summit this week.

    Blog posts | July 18, 2011 6:52am PDT

  • Mozilla's FrankenFirefox

    There's no doubt in my mind that open source makes for better applications. If your code is rubbish (or just not as good as it could be), you can get people to make it better, and if your code is...

    Blog posts | March 10, 2010 4:49am PST

  • PPoPP 2009 wrap-up

    The 3-day Principles and Practice of Parallel Programming (PPoPP 2009) conference ended last week with a session on parallel compilers and tools, another on high end computing software, and a...

    Blog posts | February 23, 2009 1:31pm PST

  • Cosmos: An open-source .Net-based microkernel OS is born

    Move over, Microsoft Singularity. There's another microkernel, C#-based operating system in town. And this one's available under an open-source license.

    Blog posts | February 6, 2008 2:02pm PST

  • SC07 Day 3: Programming bits and atoms

    A computer is a tool and a program is a thing, said Neil Gershenfeld, director of the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT during the SC07 keynote on Tuesday. The audience was a little skeptical. "If...

    Blog posts | November 13, 2007 10:40pm PST

  • AMD's Barcelona benchmarks: Omissions and disclosure matter

    [Update 9/16/2007 - After doing a little more digging, it appears that SPEC's rules require the clear statement of a basis of comparison www.spec.org/fairuse.html rule 3.b.  Without a basis of...

    Blog posts | September 14, 2007 4:27am PDT

  • The (IEED) development environment

    IBM made a marketing driven choice to use Linux instead of BSD on Cell and hasn't yet developed array compilers to support that decision.

    Blog posts | August 8, 2007 12:15am PDT

  • Using yesterday to see tomorrow

    One of the comments I expect to get about the imaginary IEED research company is that I've picked the example specifically so that Wintel wouldn't have anything to offer, and to some extent that's...

    Blog posts | August 7, 2007 5:30am PDT

  • Gallery: Intel releases new 10.0 compiler

    For C++ and Fortran developers, the compilers boast huge optimizations across a wide range of applications along with some basic auditing of code security.

    Image galleries | June 5, 2007 12:21pm PDT

  • Intel releases new 10.0 compiler

    Intel today has announced availability of the newest Intel 10.0 compilers for C++ and Fortran developers which boasts huge optimizations across a wide range of applications along with some basic...

    Blog posts | June 5, 2007 9:11am PDT

  • Valarray

    In this five minute video we look at the Intel compiler's automative optimization of one dimensional Valarray data structures.

    Videos | January 1, 2006 12:00am PST

  • Advanced diagnostics

    In this three minute video we see how Intel Parallel Composer is able to increase the diagnostic levels above the usual Microsoft compiler levels by using the Intel C++ compiler.

    Videos | January 1, 2006 12:00am PST

  • Source Checking

    In this four minute video we look at the Intel C++ compiler which is a part of Intel Parallel Studio, and see how easy it is to switch between the Microsoft and Intel compilers as well as find...

    Videos | January 1, 2006 12:00am PST

  • .Net code unsafe? .Not exactly

    Heard about buffer overflow problems in Visual Studio .Net applications? Larry Seltzer separates fact from fiction.

    News items | February 21, 2002 12:00am PST

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