Bytecode

1 definition found

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  byte-code
       
           A {binary} file containing an
          {executable} program, formed by a sequence of {op code}/data
          pairs.
       


          Byte-code op codes are most often fixed size binary patterns,
          but can be variable size.  The data portion consists of zero
          or more {bits}, the format of the data portion may be
          determined by the identifier.  The data is most often variable
          in size.
       
          In some cases, by clever design, (e.g. some {RISC}
          {instruction sets}) the identifier/data pair is a fixed size.
          This can provide performance benefits.
       
          A byte-code program is normally interpreted by a {byte-code
          interpreter}.  The advantage of this technique compared with
          outputing {machine code} for a particular processor is that
          the same byte-code can be executed on any processor on which
          the byte-code interpreter runs.  The byte-code may be compiled
          to machine code ("native code") for speed of execution but
          this usually requires significantly greater effort for each
          new taraget architecture than simply porting the interpreter.
       
          For example, {Java} is compiled to byte-code which runs on the
          {Java Virtual Machine}.
       
          (1998-08-30)