A Compiler:what is it? what are it's functions?

COMPILER

A compiler is a program that translates program written in High Level Language (HLL) into the Machine Language (ML) equivalent. The input to a compiler, called a source program is a program written in HLL. The output of a compiler, called an object program is the ML equivalent of the source program.
The process of translation is referred to as compilation while the time of compilation is called compile time. Compilers are normally called by the names of the HLL they translate. For instance, we have COBOL compiler, JAVA compiler, FORTRAN compiler etc.

FUNCTIONS OF COMPILER

• Compiler translates the source program statements into machine code.
• It provides linkage information for externally compiled subroutines (sometimes called closed subroutines).
• It determines and provides information on the amount of storage to be allocated to a program at run time.
• It usually produces object program on a secondary storage e.g. disk, tape.
• It produces printed listing of the source and objects program when required.
• It prints out errors found during compilation.