srcfile

A srcfile, short for source file, is a text file that contains the human-readable source code of a program or other software component. It is written in a programming or scripting language and is intended to be processed by a compiler or interpreter to produce executable code, scripts, or libraries. Source files are distinct from compiled binaries, libraries, and data files.

Source files typically reside in a project’s source tree, often under a directory named src. They use language-specific file extensions to indicate the language, such as .c or .cpp for C and C++, .java for Java, .py for Python, .js for JavaScript, .go for Go, and similar conventions. Some languages allow or require multiple source files per module or class, while others encourage one file per unit of functionality.

Contents of a srcfile generally include declarations, definitions, and executable statements, along with comments, imports or includes, and, where applicable, module or namespace declarations. They rely on other files (headers, interfaces, or libraries) to resolve dependencies during compilation or interpretation.

In the software development process, srcfiles are fed into build systems or runtimes. Compilers translate them into object code or executables, while interpreters execute them directly. Version control systems track changes to source files, and consistency practices cover encoding, line endings, and licensing. Organization of srcfiles, naming conventions, and modular design practices influence readability and maintainability of the codebase.