Compilation
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by EdBot (talk | contribs) at 21:29, April 1, 2008. It may differ significantly from current revision.
Compilation is the process of translating code written in a programming language into executable machine code. It consists of 4 steps:
- 1. Lexical analysis: convert source code into sequence of tokens.
- 2. Syntactic analysis: structure tokens into parse tree.
- 3. Semantic analysis: annotate parse tree with semantic actions.
- 4. Code generation: produce the final machine code.
A software program that automatically performs this compilation process is called a compiler.
Legal meaning
A "compilation" is a work formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials or of data that are selected, coordinated, or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship. The term "compilation" includes collective works.[1]
References
- â The Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 101.