Step by Step Comprehensive Detailed Explanation
A compiler is a program that translates source code written in a high-level programming language into machine code.
Definition: A compiler processes the entire source code of a program and translates it into a machine code executable.
Functionality: This process is typically done in several stages, including lexical analysis, syntax analysis, semantic analysis, optimization, and code generation.
Output: The result is an executable file that can be run on a specific operating system.
References
"Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools" by Alfred V. Aho, Monica S. Lam, Ravi Sethi, and Jeffrey D. Ullman
NISTIR 7860, "C++ Coding Standards"