Difference between Compiler and Interpreter
Writing programs is not easy as a flick of a finger. Without a converter, the computer cannot respond. Just as a Chinese on Japanese grounds, but if they speak the universal language which is English, they now can connect to one another. This is why compilers and interpreters are highly of use in program writing. They both do mostly the same functions but vary on how they execute the code.
Interpreter
The interpreter basically interprets the code and passes the result to the computer. Since this is necessary when you run a program, you must have the interpreter of the said program installed to your computer in order for you to execute it. One advantage on having an interpreter installed in your computer is that, you can run several programs that it can interpret so having it is probably the best, but it also has a disadvantage as well. It would need some space and processing power in order for it to run.
Compiler
On the other hand, the compiler doesn’t process the code, what it does is that, it writers the finished code into the disk. With this, the code can be executed anytime you need it. Also meaning that, once the code for a certain program has been written already, that’s it! Unlike having the Interpreter, you can run different operating systems with only one interpreter. So, if you have another program, you need to have it complied again in order for it to work. But what’s good about it is that, you don’t have to have additional file space consumption for it to be processed because it can work anytime you execute it.
Deciding on which one to choose is not that difficult, it just depends if you have a load of programs or not. So, if you do, get an Interpreter, if not, you might just as well compile it.
Brief Summary:
-An interpreter automatically reads the code and sends the finished result to the computer, while a compiler writes the code and makes the program ready to run anytime.
-You need to have an interpreter on the specific computer in order for the program to run, while with a compiled file, all you need is to start the program and it would run smoothly wherever you transfer it.
-A program that is interpreted would run on a lot of platforms while a compiled one won’t.
-A program would tend to run slower if it’s interpreted compared to that of a compiled one.