# Compiled vs. Interpreted ![rw-book-cover](https://api.boot.dev/v1/static/course_image/learn-linux) ## Metadata - Author: [[boot.dev]] - Full Title: Compiled vs. Interpreted - Category: #articles - Summary: Never fear a Linux terminal again. Learn how to use the command line to navigate a unix-like filesystem and automate developer tasks. - URL: https://www.boot.dev/lessons/5d1321fd-a35e-4d70-b20f-dc4721feae9a ## Highlights - A compiled program is a program that has been converted from human-readable source code into machine code (binary). [Machine code](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_code) is a set of instructions that a computer can execute directly: your computer's CPU is hardware that's been designed to execute machine code. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ke14k213e2ksstb603y3jczf)) - An interpreted program is a program that is executed by *another* program. The program that executes the interpreted program is called an [interpreter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpreter_%28computing%29). The interpreter reads the source code of the interpreted program and executes it. Programming languages like [Python](https://www.python.org/), [Ruby](https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/), and [JavaScript](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript), are typically interpreted as they run, which means your computer needs to have the interpreter installed to run the program. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ke14h8e33z2ywrrzsfkmnqvn))