2.3. Building software from source
For software written in compiled languages, the source code goes through a build process, producing machine code. This process, commonly called compiling or translating, varies for different languages. The resulting built software can be run, which makes the computer perform the task specified by the programmer.
For software written in raw interpreted languages, the source code is not built, but executed directly.
For software written in byte-compiled interpreted languages, the source code is compiled into byte code, which is then executed by the language virtual machine.
The following subchapters describe how to build software from source code.