Compiler VS Interpreter
A compiler is a program that translates source code written in a programming language into machine code, which can be executed on a platform without having any special software to execute it.
An interpreter, on the other hand, is a program that executes the instructions in the source code directly line by line, without producing an executable file.
Programming Languages like Python and Javascript are some of the interpreted languages while programming languages like Java and C are compiled languages.
It is also possible that a significant part of the code may be executed successfully before the interpreter finds an error in interpreted programming languages. This is normal behavior in this execution model but it is not possible in the compilation model.
There are a few key differences between compilers and interpreters:
Execution: A compiled program is executed directly by the computer, while an interpreted program is executed by the interpreter. Therefore the platform needs to have a particular interpreter to execute it.
Performance: Compiled programs are generally faster than interpreted programs because the machine code produced by the compiler is optimized for the target architecture and can be executed directly by the processor. Interpreted programs, on the other hand, are usually slower, because they need to be translated into machine code on the fly.
Language support: Compilers are typically specific to a particular programming language, while interpreters can support multiple languages.
Development process: The development process for a compiled program typically involves compiling the source code and then testing and debugging the resulting executable. The development process for an interpreted program involves testing and debugging the source code directly, without the need for a separate compilation step.
Portability: Compiled programs are usually not portable, meaning that they can only be run on the specific platform for which they were compiled. Interpreted programs, on the other hand, are usually portable, because they can be run on any platform that has an interpreter for the language in which the program was written.
Python is an interpreted language. This means that it inherits all the described advantages and disadvantages. Of course, it adds some of its unique features to both sets.
If you want to program in Python, you'll need the Python interpreter. You won't be able to run your code without it. Fortunately, Python is free. This is one of its most important advantages.
Due to historical reasons, languages designed to be utilized in the interpretation manner are often called scripting languages, while the source programs encoded using them are called scripts. Programs that are utilized in compilation manner are called complied language or programming language