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Decoding the Magic of C Compilation: A Beginner’s Guide
Understanding the Journey from Source Code to Executable
The C programming language is one of the most interesting and powerful programming languages out there. Like most compiled languages (such as Java and C++), it requires a compiler to convert the written code to a form your machine can understand and execute.
As a newbie C programmer, you’ve probably written your first C program (my guess is a “Hello World”) and maybe a few more. If you’re curious enough, you may wonder what happens under the hood when compiling a C program. Don’t worry. Your curiosity will be satisfied before the end of this article.
Understanding the compilation process will help you diagnose/debug errors efficiently and write optimized codes as a C programmer. This understanding will eventually help you become a better programmer.
Hence, this article will explore the different stages of C compilation. And you’ll understand how your computer comprehends and transforms your C source codes into an executable file.
To follow and understand this article well, you need the following:
- Basic knowledge of how to use a compiler for C programs
- Knowledge of some basic Linux commands
