compilezeit

Compilezeit, the German term for compile time, refers to the phase in software development when source code is translated by a compiler into an executable form. This phase happens before a program runs and is distinct from runtime, which concerns program execution, and from link time, which resolves external references to form a complete executable.

During compilezeit, a compiler performs several steps: lexical and syntactic analysis, semantic analysis and type checking, name resolution, and macro expansion. In languages that support templates or generics, code may be instantiated or specialized at compile time. The compiler may also apply optimizations such as constant folding, dead code elimination, and inlining, and finally generates target-specific object code.

Compile-time behavior is shaped by language design, compiler implementation, and build practices. Static typing and metaprogramming features tend to push more work to compilezeit, enabling early error detection and potential runtime performance benefits through precomputation. Conversely, excessive compile-time work can slow development cycles.

Developers employ strategies to mitigate long compile times, including incremental or modular compilation, precompiled headers, caching, and parallel builds. Understanding compilezeit helps in reasoning about performance characteristics, portability, and the distribution of work between compile time and runtime.