Understanding interpretation
Where compiled languages translate source code into machine-executable form ahead of time, interpreted languages like Python, JavaScript, Typescript, etc, execute instructions directly without producing a standalone machine code program. Instead, an interpreter reads the program step by step, analyses it, and executes it immediately. This makes interpretation highly flexible and dynamic, but often slower than compilation because translation happens during execution rather than beforehand.
During execution, the interpreter performs tasks such as lexical analysis, parsing, and evaluation, all while the program is running. It continuously processes code, manages variables, and executes instructions as needed.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these steps using the code below to understand how source code becomes a running application.
Liking the course? Check our discounted plans to continue learning.