compiled

Compiled is the past participle of compile and serves as an adjective describing something produced by compiling. In general usage, a compiled report or compiled data has been assembled from multiple sources. In computing, compiled refers specifically to software whose source code has been translated into a lower-level representation, usually machine code, by a program called a compiler.

Compilation is the process of translating high-level source code into executable code or an intermediate representation. A typical compiler performs lexical analysis, syntax and semantic analysis, optimization, and code generation, then often passes through a linker to create an executable or library. The result is often object code or a binary, sometimes accompanied by debugging information. Compiled code generally runs faster than interpreted code, and it may be tailored to a particular hardware architecture.

Compiled languages are those designed to be compiled before execution, including C, C++, Rust, Go, and Swift. They are contrasted with interpreted languages, which are executed directly by an interpreter. Some environments use ahead-of-time or just-in-time compilation, or compile to bytecode for a virtual machine, offering a balance between performance and portability.

Outside computing, compiled can describe information brought together from various sources, as in a compiled list or compilation of data. The term emphasizes consolidation and synthesis, indicating that the item was created by assembling existing elements rather than produced from scratch.