Program Construction

Question 1

Compiler

Answer 1

Converts/translates high level code into executable code.
Translates all the source code into target code before execution. An error report is often produced after the full program gas been translated. Errors in the program code may cause a computer to crash.

Question 2

Interpreter

Answer 2

Converts/translates high level code into machine code.
Translates all the source code into target code one line at a time every time the code is executed. The interpreter stops when a line of code s reached that contains an error.

Question 3

Assembler

Answer 3

Used to translate program written in a low-level assembly language into a machine code file so it can be used and executed by the computer.
The assembler does this by converting one-word assembly instructions into an opcode, e.g. converting AND to 0010. It also allocates memory to variables, often resulting in an operand.
Once assembled, the program file can be used again and again without re-assembly.