What is an interpreter primarily used for?

What is an interpreter primarily used for?

• A. Performing static analysis
• B. Translating high-level code to machine code line by line
• C. Compiling code into libraries
• D. Executing compiled languages

Answer: (B)

An interpreter is primarily used for translating high-level code to machine code line by line. This process allows the execution of code immediately as it's read, which facilitates testing and debugging. The interpreter processes each line of code sequentially, translating it into an intermediate form or executing it directly, which makes development more interactive. In contrast, static analysis refers to examining the code without executing it, which is not the function of an interpreter. Compiling code into libraries usually involves translating entire source files to machine code in one go, creating binaries or library files, which is characteristic of compilers, not interpreters. Executing compiled languages pertains to running code that has already been translated into machine code by a compiler, whereas interpreters deal with high-level languages directly, often at runtime.

An interpreter is primarily used for translating high-level code to machine code line by line. This process allows the execution of code immediately as it's read, which facilitates testing and debugging. The interpreter processes each line of code sequentially, translating it into an intermediate form or executing it directly, which makes development more interactive.

In contrast, static analysis refers to examining the code without executing it, which is not the function of an interpreter. Compiling code into libraries usually involves translating entire source files to machine code in one go, creating binaries or library files, which is characteristic of compilers, not interpreters. Executing compiled languages pertains to running code that has already been translated into machine code by a compiler, whereas interpreters deal with high-level languages directly, often at runtime.