Compiler vs Interpreter
A compiler and an interpreter are both essential tools in programming that serve the purpose of translating human-readable code into machine code that a computer can execute. However, the way they perform this translation is quite different. A compiler takes the entire program written in a high-level language and converts it into machine code all at once, before the program is run. This process results in a separate executable file, which can be run multiple times without the need to recompile. Because of this, compiled programs usually run much faster, since all the heavy translation work has already been done beforehand. Languages like C, C++, Rust, and Go use compilers.
On the other hand, an interpreter works differently. Instead of translating the entire code at once, it reads and executes the program line by line, translating each instruction as it goes. This means there is no intermediate executable file; the interpreter must be present every time the code runs. While this approach makes execution slower, it is particularly useful during development because it allows for easier debugging and testing. If there's an error in the code, the interpreter will point it out immediately at the line where it occurs, without needing to process the whole program again. Python, JavaScript, and Ruby are popular interpreted languages.
In practice, some modern languages and environments use a combination of both approaches—compiling code into an intermediate form and then interpreting or just-in-time compiling it at runtime. This hybrid method aims to get the best of both worlds: faster execution and easier development