High- and low-level

languages and their

translators
Low level and high level languages
Compiler
• A COMPILER is a computer program that translates a
program written in a high-level language (HLL) into
machine code.

• The compiler takes your high level source code and

converts it into machine code. The machine code
representation is stored and saved as an executable.
This executable can be run directly on the computer
without recompilation.
Compiler
• The machine code created is specific to the specific
architecture.

• If there is an error in the high level code, then no

translated code will be produced. Instead you will be
given an error report of all of the errors.
Compiler
• Translates the whole program as a complete unit / at
once
• Creates an executable file / object code
• A report / list of errors in the code is created
• Optimises the source code (to run efficiently)
Compiler
Interpreter
• An interpreter takes a single statement in your high
level source code and converts it to machine code. It
then immediately executes the statement and then
moves onto the next statement. You code is translated
and executed line by line.

• The machine code is never saved.

• Your program is running while this happens.

Interpreter
• If there is an error in the high level code, then the
user/programmer will be told which line is producing
an error.

• The programmer can then correct the error and resume

interpretation/execution.
Interpreter
• Translates a program one line of code at a time
• Machine code is directly executed // The interpreter is
used each time the program / code is executed
• Will identify an error as soon as it finds one in a line of
code
Interpreter
• Translates high-level language into machine code/low
level language
• Translates (the source code) line by line/statement by
statement
• Stops if it finds an error
• Will only continue when error is fixed
Interpreter
Why use complier over interpreter
Creates an executable file
• … so, would not release source code
• … so, the source code cannot be stolen/edited.
• … so, would not need to be translated every time // so,
translator is not required
• … making it machine independent
Differences
An interpreter translates and executes the code line by line
• … whereas a compiler translates and executes the
whole code all in one go

An interpreter stops translating and reports an error as it

finds one
• … whereas a compiler produces an error report at the
end of translation

An interpreter does not produce an executable file

• … but a compiler does produce an executable file
Differences
An interpreter will execute the code until it finds an error
• … whereas a compiler will not execute any code if
there are errors present

An interpreter allows correction of errors in real-time

• … whereas a compiler needs to retranslate the code
each time after errors are found and corrected
Differences
Assemblers
An assembler is a program that takes assembly code and
converts it into machine code.

We can store the results of this translation so that we do

not need to reassemble at a later date.
Assemblers
Assemblers
Assemblers
IDE
IDE
IDE
IDE
IDE
IDE
An integrated development environment (IDE) is a
software application that helps programmers develop
software code efficiently.

It increases developer productivity by combining

capabilities such as software editing, building, testing, and
packaging in an easy-to-use application.
IDE
Common features:
• editors
• run-time environments
• automatic line numbering
• error trapping
• colour coding
• breakpoints
• variable tracing
• auto-correct
• auto-suggestion
• auto-indent
• interpreters
IDE
Many brands of IDE exist:

• Python comes with a simple IDE called IDLE.

• Eclipse and Netbeans are two fully featured IDEs often
used for programming in Java, JavaScript and HTML.
• Visual Studio is an IDE largely designed to help
programmers in Visual Basic and C#.