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bytecode
A compact, low-level instruction stream that a virtual machine or interpreter runs, sitting between source code and the raw CPU.
Rather than compile straight to machine code, many systems first translate a program into bytecode — a simple instruction format designed for a software execution engine. An interpreter can then run it directly, or a just-in-time compiler can turn hot sections into native code on the fly. Bytecode is portable and easy to analyse, which is why it is a common middle layer.
See also
- C subsetA deliberately limited slice of the C language — enough to be useful, small enough for a compact compiler to handle.
- calling conventionThe agreed rulebook for how one function passes arguments to another and gets a result back.
- control flowThe order in which a program's statements run, shaped by its branches and loops.