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In computer science
Computer science

Computer science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation, and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems....
, compile time refers to either the operations performed by a compiler
Compiler

A compiler is a computer program that transforms source code written in a programming language into another computer language . The most common reason for wanting to transform source code is to create an executable program....
 (the "compile-time operations"), programming language
Programming language

A programming language is a machine-readable artificial language designed to express computations that can be performed by a machine, particularly a computer....
 requirements that must be met by source code
Source code

In computer science, source code is any collection of statements or declarations written in some human-readable computer programming language....
 for it to be successfully compiled (the "compile-time requirements"), or properties of the program that can be reasoned about at compile time.

The operations performed at compile time usually include syntax analysis, various kinds of semantic analysis (e.g., type checks and instantiation of template) and code generation.

Programming language definitions usually specify compile-time requirements that source code must meet to be successfully compiled.






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In computer science
Computer science

Computer science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation, and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems....
, compile time refers to either the operations performed by a compiler
Compiler

A compiler is a computer program that transforms source code written in a programming language into another computer language . The most common reason for wanting to transform source code is to create an executable program....
 (the "compile-time operations"), programming language
Programming language

A programming language is a machine-readable artificial language designed to express computations that can be performed by a machine, particularly a computer....
 requirements that must be met by source code
Source code

In computer science, source code is any collection of statements or declarations written in some human-readable computer programming language....
 for it to be successfully compiled (the "compile-time requirements"), or properties of the program that can be reasoned about at compile time.

The operations performed at compile time usually include syntax analysis, various kinds of semantic analysis (e.g., type checks and instantiation of template) and code generation.

Programming language definitions usually specify compile-time requirements that source code must meet to be successfully compiled. For example, that the amount of storage required by types and variable can be deduced.

Properties of a program that can be reasoned about at compile time include range-checks (eg, proving that an array index will not exceed the array bound), deadlock freedom in concurrent languages, or timings (eg, proving that a sequence of code takes no more than an allocated amount of time).

Compile time occurs before link time
Link time

In computer science, link time refers to either the operations performed by a linker or programming language requirements that must be met by compiled source code for it to be successfully linked ....
 (when the output of one or more compiled files are joined together) and runtime
Runtime

In computer science, runtime or run time describes the operation of a computer program, the duration of its execution, from beginning to termination ....
 (when a program
Computer program

Computer programs are Instruction for a computer. A computer requires programs to function. Moreover, a computer program does not run unless its instructions are executed by a Central processing unit; however, a program may communicate an Algorithm#Formalization of algorithms to people without running....
 is executed). In some programming languages it may be necessary for some compilation and linking to occur at runtime. There is a trade-off between compile-time and link-time in that many compile time operations can be deferred to link-time without incurring extra run-time.

"Compile time" can also refer to the amount of time required for compilation.

See also

  • Link time
    Link time

    In computer science, link time refers to either the operations performed by a linker or programming language requirements that must be met by compiled source code for it to be successfully linked ....
  • Runtime
    Runtime

    In computer science, runtime or run time describes the operation of a computer program, the duration of its execution, from beginning to termination ....
  • Compiling