What does it mean to compile on a mac computer?

Question

I can't seem to figure out what compile means. Does anyone know. I am using a macintosh computer by the way.

Answer 1

Mac OS is like BSD

BSD is like Unix

Linux is like Unix



Therefore, compiling takes text based languages and converts them into machine instructions for a specific platform.

Answer 2

To compile means to take a program's source code (written typically in C, C++, etc) and turn it into an executable file. You need a compiler, but one is included on the install disk that came with your computer. You're looking for "XCode Tools" and it should be under the "Optional Installation" Section of the Mac OSX installer.

Answer 3

compiling is the way to take the source code and a program that takes that info compiles it with another program to make it an executable program so it will run and when your finished will disassemble it .. back in the day when memory was insane and hard drives very small, programs were not pre compiled to executable files you had to do it manually on a mac.. it made the units very fast in such invioronments

but now adays its easier to precompile it and shipp it out full functioning and thats one main reason we have 4 gigs memory and multi 1 Terabyte harddrives instead of 4 megs ram and a 20 meg hard drive...

Answer 4

the short version of the answer(if i understand it right) is when you buy a game for windows or mac, the program will be 'compiled' (put together, program written for) either mac or windows OS. It can be compiled for Linux as well