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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Source Program and Object Program?

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The main difference between a source program and an object program lies in their readability and the language they are written in. Here are the key differences:

  • Source Program: A source program is a human-readable program written by a programmer using a high-level programming language, such as Java, C++, or Python. It contains meaningful variable names, comments, and is easy to read and modify. However, it is not directly executable by the machine.
  • Object Program: An object program, also known as object code, is a machine-readable program generated after compiling the source program. It consists of binary code that can be directly executed by the computer. The object program is not human-readable and is understandable only by the machine.

In summary, a source program is a human-readable, high-level code written by a programmer, while an object program is a machine-readable, binary code generated after compiling the source program.

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  • What is the Difference Between Source Program and Object Program?
  • Comparative Table: Source Program vs Object Program

    • Comparative Table: Source Program vs Object Program

    The main difference between a source program and an object program lies in their representation and readability. Here is a table highlighting the differences between the two:

    Feature Source Program Object Program
    Definition A source program is a collection of instructions written using a human-readable programming language, such as Java, C++, or Python. An object program is a sequence of statements in binary that is generated after compiling the source program.
    Readability Source programs are human-readable, containing meaningful variable names and helpful comments. Object programs are machine-readable and consist of binary code that can be directly executed by the computer.
    Written By Source programs are written by programmers. Object programs are generated by compilers after compiling the source programs.
    Purpose Source programs serve as the input to the compiler. Object programs are the output of the compiler and can be executed by the machine.

    In summary, a source program is a human-readable set of instructions written in a high-level programming language, while an object program is the machine-readable binary code generated after compiling the source program.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.