What distinguishes a compiled language from an interpreted language?

The primary distinction between a compiled language and an interpreted language lies in how the code is executed. A compiled language is converted into machine code, which is the low-level code that the computer's hardware can execute directly, before the program is run. This process involves the use of a compiler, which translates the entire set of source code into an executable file. After this compilation step, the program can be executed multiple times without needing the original source code or recompilation, resulting in faster execution during runtime as the machine code runs directly on the hardware.

In contrast, interpreted languages are generally executed line-by-line at runtime, which means that the source code is parsed and executed on-the-fly, potentially leading to slower execution speed since each line must be interpreted each time it is run.

The various misconceptions surrounding compiled languages, such as the belief that they require no debugging or that they are less efficient, do not define the fundamental characteristics that set them apart from interpreted languages. Debugging is common in both compiled and interpreted languages; it's the nature of how their execution differs that is critical to understanding the classification.