What is a program that converts a target program into an executable file called?

What is the program called that converts a target program into an executable file?

The program that converts the target program into an executable file is called the linker.

Linker, compiler and assembler all often rely on the linker, which collects code compiled or assembled in different object files into a directly executable file.

Linker

In this case, there is a gap between the target code, that is, the machine code that has not yet been linked, and the executable machine code. There is a difference. The linker also links the target program to the code for the standard library functions, as well as to the resources provided by the computer's operating system (such as storage allocators and input and output devices).

Interestingly, linkers are now completing one of the earliest major activities of a compiler (which is also how the word "compile" is used, i.e., construction by gathering different sources). The connection process is extremely operating system and processor dependent.

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