Source-code compatibility: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:12, 2 June 2014

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'''Source code compatibility''' (source compatible) means that a program can run on [[central processing unit|computer]]s (or operating systems), independently of [[binary code compatibility]] and that the [[source code]] is needed for [[Software portability|portability]].

The source code must be [[compiler|compiled]] before running, unless the computer(s) used havehas an [[Interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] for the language at hand. The term is also used for [[assembly language]] compatibility, where the source is a [[human-readable]] form of [[machine code]] that must be converted tointo numerical (i.e. executable) machine code by an [[Assembly language#Assembler|assembler]]. This is different from [[binary code compatibility]], where no recompilation (or re assemblationassembly) is needed.

Source-compatibility is a major issue in the developing of computer programs. For example, most [[Unix]] systems are source compatible, as long as one uses only standard [[library|libraries]]. [[Microsoft Windows]] systems are source compatible across one major family (NT, 2000, XP or 95, 98, ME), with partial source compatibility between the two families.