How code becomes execution.
WHAT COMPILATION IS
Translating source code into machine code before running.
WHAT INTERPRETATION IS
Executing source code directly, translating as it runs.
WHAT COMPILED LANGUAGES PROVIDE
Faster execution Errors caught before running A distributable binary
WHAT THEY COST
A build step Platform-specific output, usually
WHAT INTERPRETED LANGUAGES PROVIDE
Immediate execution Easier experimentation Portability, where the interpreter exists
WHAT THEY COST
Slower execution Errors found only when the code runs
WHAT THE MIDDLE GROUND IS
Compiling to an intermediate form, run by a virtual machine.
WHAT THAT PROVIDES
Portability, with better performance than pure interpretation.
WHAT JUST-IN-TIME COMPILATION DOES
Compiles frequently executed code while running.
WHY THAT MATTERS
It narrows the performance gap considerably.
WHAT TO UNDERSTAND
That the distinction is about implementation, not the language itself.
