What is a Compiler?

A compiler is a special program that helps computers understand the code that people write. When a person writes code to create a game or an app, it’s written in a language that humans can understand, like Java or C++. However, computers don’t understand these languages—they only understand something called “machine language,” which is made of 1s and 0s. That’s where the compiler comes in! It takes the human-written code and turns it into machine language so the computer knows what to do.

Think of a compiler like a translator. If you speak English but want to talk to someone who speaks only Spanish, you need someone to translate your words. Similarly, the compiler translates the code into a language the computer can “speak” and follow to make the app or game work properly.

Without a compiler, computers wouldn’t know how to run programs that we write. It makes sure everything is translated correctly so that the computer can follow the instructions and make the program work smoothly.