Question

What do you call a program that translates a high-level language program into a separate machine language program?

Short answer

Answer: The program that translates high-level language programs into machine language programs is called a Compiler. A compiler reads a high-level language source code, written by humans, and translates it into an equivalent machine language code, which can be executed by computers. The compiler does this by parsing the code into an intermediate representation, performing various optimizations and code transformations, and finally generating the machine code for the target platform. This allows code to be written in a more understandable language while still being executable on various machines and architectures.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the program

The program that translates high-level language programs into machine language programs is called a Compiler.

Explain the purpose of the compiler

A compiler is a program that reads a high-level language source code, written by humans, and translates it into an equivalent machine language code, which can be executed by computers.

Explain the process of translation in a compiler

The translation process in a compiler usually consists of several steps. First, it parses the high-level language code into an intermediate representation to analyze its syntax and semantics. Then, it performs various optimizations and code transformations. Finally, the compiler generates the machine code for the target platform, which can be executed by the target machine or operating system. This process makes it possible for us to write code in a programming language that is easier to understand and work with, while still being able to run it on various machines with diverse architectures.