Compilers and Interpreters
Compilers translate a whole program to machine code before it runs; interpreters execute it statement by statement.
Beginner
- A compiler (C, C++, Rust) translates source code into machine code ahead of time. Result: fast executables, errors caught early, but you must rebuild for each target CPU.
- An interpreter (classic Python, JavaScript engines start this way) reads and executes code at run time. Result: quick to try changes, slower execution.
- Hybrid (Java, C#): source → bytecode → run on a virtual machine, often with a JIT (just-in-time) compiler.
For microcontrollers you use a cross-compiler — it runs on your PC but produces machine code for the chip, e.g. arm-none-eabi-gcc for ARM Cortex-M.
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