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Difference between Program and Executable File

madhurihammad

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1. Program :
Program, as name suggest, are simply set of instructions developed by programmer
that tell computer what to perform and consist of compiled code that run directly from
operating system of computer.

2. Executable File :
Executable File, as name suggests, are computer files that contain encoded sequence
of instructions and is particular a kind of file that is capable of being executed or run as
a program in computer.

Difference between Program and Executable File :

 Program Executable File

Programs are set of instructions Executable File is file format of

followed by computer system. windows i.e., .exe file.

It contains machine instructions

It contain instructions that computer can
for computer architectures
understand and execute.
supported by Windows.

All programs cannot be Exe files. All Exe files can be program.

Types of programs include

Types of executable files can be
spreadsheets, graphics programs, web
compiled programs, scripts, etc.
browsers, data base systems, etc.

It consist of compiled code that might It consist of several blobs of data

run or execute directly from operating and instructions about how data
system of computer. should be loaded in memory.

Programs are used to perform specific These files are used on windows
task and enhance functionality of computers to install or run
computer system. software applications.

Exe files are created by compilers

Programs are created by programmers
that convert source code in to
in programming language.
machine code.

Program code are usually written in one Exe files are usually written
or more languages as per knowledge of according to Microsoft Portable
programmer rather than machine code. Executable (PE) specifications.

Last Updated : 22 Dec, 2020 1

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madhurihammad
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