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The only language that a computer can understand is binary code which is also known as Machine Language(ML). Binary code is based on a binary number system in which there are only two states, off and on. There are eight bits that are grouped together to form bytes. If the bit is turned on it is represented by the number 1. If the bit is turned off it is represented by the number 0.

Since computers only understand one type of language, people must communicate with computers using programming languages. The computer doesn’t understand anything without instructions, there are already instructions written for the computer to understand programming languages. Some common programming languages that programmers use are C++, Java, and python.

In order for the computer to understand the programming languages it needs to be able to translate the language into machine language, or binary code. The two types of programs used to translate programming language into machine language are compilers and interpreters. Compilers and interpreters are programs that are written to create a programming language. A complier translates all of the source code in a program to machine language before it is executed by the CPU. Once the language is translated it can then be used every time the program is used unless the source code is changed. If the source code is changed then the language must be recompiled and translated. Unlike the compiler programs, interpreter programs translate each line of code as it is executed. Since it translates each line as it is executed, every time the program is run it must be translated again. This makes code translated by an interpreter slower than compiled code.

References

Grantham University, CS101 “Computer Concepts and Terminology, Part I”

Grantham University,CS101 “ Computer Concepts and terminology, Part II”