Groups > comp.lang.java.programmer > #32696

Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java

From	Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.java.programmer
Subject	Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java
Date	2015-09-25 10:32 -0400
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<mu3lpf$lq7$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	<mu2j1a$34n$1@dont-email.me>

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On 9/25/2015 12:37 AM, Jeff Higgins wrote:
> I'm so confused.
> Will someone please clearly explain to me how the terms
> translator, compiler, and interpreter relate to the Java language?

Jeff, Robert is pretty spot on with his terminology.

Languages such as C and PASCAL are considered compiled languages; the
output from the compiler/linker is directly executable code with no
interpretation required.  Once the program is built, nothing else (other
than dynamically linked libraries) is required to run them.

Languages such as BASIC and PHP, which are run from source code with no
intervening steps are considered interpreted languages because the
program running them operates directly on the source code.

Languages such as Java are somewhere in between.  There is a "compiler"
(more properly called a "translator", IMHO) which converts the source
code to a byte code.  But this byte code does not run natively; it
requires another program (like the jvm) to interpret the code and
convert it to code which can be executed by the processor.  But because
this interpretation must be performed every time the program is
executed, Java is considered an interpreted language.  The
compile/translate step does speed up the process significantly, however.

I'll also add there is one other type - assembler language programs are
built with assemblers instead of compilers.  The main difference here is
that, since there is a one-for-one match up between the assembler
language instruction and the generated machine code, assemblers are much
easier.  (And yes, I know assemblers have macros which are similar to
inline functions in C++, but the expansion of the macro still result in
a one-for-one match up between assembler language instructions and the
resultant machine code).

-- 
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================

Thread

Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jeff Higgins <jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2015-09-25 00:37 -0400
  Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Robert Klemme <shortcutter@googlemail.com> - 2015-09-25 08:26 +0200
  Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jeff Higgins <jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2015-09-25 08:36 -0400
    Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Robert Klemme <shortcutter@googlemail.com> - 2015-09-25 18:18 +0200
    Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-27 21:05 -0400
      Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-09-27 23:07 -0400
        Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-10-02 22:39 -0400
          Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-03 10:36 -0400
            Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-10-05 21:33 -0400
              Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-05 22:08 -0400
  Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-09-25 10:32 -0400
    Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-27 21:15 -0400
      Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-09-27 23:09 -0400
        Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-10-02 22:41 -0400
          Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-03 10:38 -0400
            Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-10-05 21:35 -0400
              Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-05 22:09 -0400
                Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-10-05 22:16 -0400
                Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-05 22:26 -0400
      Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2015-10-02 13:17 -0700
        Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-03 10:41 -0400
          Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2015-10-04 21:24 -0700
            Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-05 08:45 -0400
              Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2015-10-05 10:58 -0700
                Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-05 14:23 -0400
                Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-10-05 22:10 -0400
                Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-05 22:26 -0400
          Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-10-05 22:01 -0400
            Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-10-05 22:10 -0400
  Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Eternal Hope <laughingspam99@gmail.com> - 2015-09-25 16:55 +0100
    Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2015-10-02 13:14 -0700
    I don't remember JIT-ing for JDK 1.1 (Was: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java) Jan Burse <janburse@fastmail.fm> - 2015-10-03 04:56 +0200
      Re: I don't remember JIT-ing for JDK 1.1 (Was: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java) Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-10-02 23:11 -0400
        Re: I don't remember JIT-ing for JDK 1.1 (Was: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java) Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-10-02 23:14 -0400
          Re: I don't remember JIT-ing for JDK 1.1 (Was: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java) Mike Amling <mamling@chaff.us> - 2015-10-04 08:34 -0500
  Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Silvio <silvio@internet.com> - 2015-10-06 10:34 +0200
    Re: Translator, Compiler, Interpreter and Java Silvio <silvio@internet.com> - 2015-10-06 11:01 +0200

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