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When programmers create software programs, they first write the program in source code, which is written in a specific programming language, such as C or Java. These source code files are saved in a text-based, human-readable format, which can be opened and edited by programmers. However, the source code cannot be run directly by the computer. In order for the code to be understood by the computer's CPU, it must be compiled into an executable program.
Most software development programs include a compiler, which compiles source code files into machine code. This code, sometimes referred to as object code, can be executed directly by the computer's processor. Therefore, the resulting application is often referred to as an executable file. Windows executable files have a .EXE file extension, while Mac OS X programs have .APP extension, which is often hidden. |
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