Translators

Translators

N5 Computing Science

High Level Languages

• Programs written in a language similar to English

  Python, Java, C#, HTML, SQL

• Advantages

• The commands use English keywords such as PRINT, INPUT, WHILE etc. which are easy to understand

• Complex arithmetic can be performed in one instruction that would take many machine code instructions

• They have in-built mathematical and logical functions to process the data

But what do Computers Understand

????????

Computer Understand Machine Code

• Machine code is the computer’s own programming language, made up of binary codes to represent the program or instructions.

We need to translate for Computers

From High Level Language to Binary Machine Code

This is done by Translators

• There are 2 types of Translator

• Compiler

• Interpreter

Compilers

• A compiler translates the complete program (source code) into object code (machine code) in one go before the program is run.

• Compiled programs run faster since there is no translation at run time.

• It produces stand-alone machine code program which runs by itself without the need for the source code and the compiler

Interpreter

• An interpreter translates and executes source code programs one statement at a time into machine code while the program is run

• It will run more slowly than a compiled program due to executing the program one line at a time.

• Execution will stop immediately if the interpreter translates a line of source code that results in an error making it easier to spot errors in the code

Let's see if you've understood

????????

Multiple Choice

Which of these could be machine code?

• print ("01011011")

• 01011011

• code = int(input("Enter code")

Multiple Choice

Which of these is an example of a high level language?

• Binary Machine Code

• Python

• CSS

The next few questions will have an answer of either Compiler or Interpreter

Let's play which translator!!

Multiple Choice

This translator program reports errors at the end of translation.

• Compiler

• Interpreter

Multiple Choice

This translator needs to be present in memory each time the program is executed.

• Compiler

• Interpreter

Multiple Choice

This translator runs more slowly due to executing the program one line at a time.

• Compiler

• Interpreter

Multiple Choice

Using this translator means that the source code program will only be used again if the program needs to be changed.

• Compiler

• Interpreter

Multiple Choice

This translator will stop program execution immediately if it finds a line of source code that results in an error

• Compiler

• Interpreter

Multiple Choice

Last one!!!

A program which has been translated using this type of translator will run faster

• Compiler

• Interpreter

Summary of Translators

• Use an interpreter when debugging code

  
  

• Once code is error free, use a compiler.