A compiler is a computer program that translates from one format to another, most often from a high-level computer language to byte code and machine code. Compilers come in a number of variations, which we will explore in this article.
Compilers, transpilers, interpreters, and JIT compilers
Compilers often translate source code for a high-level language, such as C++, to object code for the current computer architecture, such as Intel x64. The object modules produced from multiple high-level language files are then linked into an executable file.