compiler
7 synonyms and 1 antonyms for compiler, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A program that takes source code written by a person and turns it into a form a computer can run directly, checking as it goes that the code makes sense according to the rules of the language.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A program that takes source code written by a person and turns it into a form a computer can run directly, checking as it goes that the code makes sense according to the rules of the language.
“The compiler refused to build the project because of a missing semicolon.”
Opposites
2. noun computing
More broadly, any program that translates code from one language into another, such as one that turns a newer form of a language into an older one that more devices understand.
“The compiler converts the modern syntax into a version that older browsers can handle.”
How to Use Compiler
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Standard technical vocabulary; the older sense of a person who compiles a book survives in publishing.
Etymology
From compile, via Old French compiler and Latin compilare meaning to gather or plunder, plus the agent ending -er; applied to software from the early decades of programming.
Full origin of compiler →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a compiler and an interpreter?
A compiler translates the whole program in advance and produces output that is run afterwards. An interpreter reads and carries out the code step by step as the program runs, with no separate translation stage kept on disk. Some languages use a mixture of both.
Does every programming language need a compiler?
No. Languages such as Python and JavaScript are traditionally run by an interpreter or a runtime rather than compiled ahead of time by the programmer, although those systems often compile parts of the code behind the scenes while running.
What is a compiler error?
It is a complaint from the compiler that it cannot translate your code, usually because of a mistake in spelling, punctuation or types. The program is not produced at all until the error is fixed, which is different from an error that appears only once a program is running.