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What Are You Downloading Exactly When You Download Software?

C

chrstrbrts

Senior member
Hello,

When you download software online, what are you downloading exactly?

Are you downloading pre-compiled source code?

Are you downloading post-compiled machine code?

What about after you finish installing the software? Is it then machine code?

Thanks.
 
chrstrbrts said:
When you download software online, what are you downloading exactly?

Are you downloading pre-compiled source code?

Are you downloading post-compiled machine code?
Click to expand...
It varies. I use Linux, so I do the former (if you meant pre-compilation source code) a lot more than most people. 😉

But it varies with languages too, to some extent. If you're running a "web app" inside a browser, chances are it's using JavaScript source code that's interpreted by the browser. Some interpreted languages have "compilers" that actually bundle a binary of the interpreter with the source code. Others, like Java and MS .NET apps, compile to a machine code, but for a "virtual machine". A separate binary runs the virtual machine with the app. Though in the .NET case there's usually just enough true machine code to start up the virtual machine which is in a DLL.

In most cases, when you download a binary, it is pre-compiled, post-compilation machine code - for your real machine or the Java or .NET virtual machine. And in most cases when you install software it's pre-compiled, post-compilation machine code - for your real machine or the Java or .NET virtual machine.
 
Ken g6 said:
In most cases, when you download a binary, it is pre-compiled, post-compilation machine code - for your real machine or the Java or .NET virtual machine. And in most cases when you install software it's pre-compiled, post-compilation machine code - for your real machine or the Java or .NET virtual machine.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply, but I'm a bit confused. What exactly is "pre-compiled, post-compilation" machine code? How can it be both ways?

Thanks.
 
Your notation was just confusing. A binary, after it's been compiled is pre(viously)-compiled and post-compilation.
 
I would think you have need playing around with and reading up on programming languages to know know that unless you are downloading the source code for a program then what you are doing is downloading the compiled binaries.
 
Graze said:
I would think you have need playing around with and reading up on programming languages to know know that unless you are downloading the source code for a program then what you are doing is downloading the compiled binaries.
Click to expand...

OK. So, after a downloaded program is installed, it is stored on your hard drive in a binary, machine code format?
 
chrstrbrts said:
OK. So, after a downloaded program is installed, it is stored on your hard drive in a binary, machine code format?
Click to expand...

Usually. Java and .NET programs are a compiled bytecode that is translated by their runtime environment. On *nix you often have small utility "programs" that are actually just scripts (Bash, Perl, Python, etc) and they are actually distributed as source code. That isn't very common on Windows IME.
 
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