byte-code

1 definition found

byte-code - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  byte-code
  
     <file format, software> A binary file containing an
     executable program, consisting of a sequence of (op code,
     data) pairs.
  
     Byte-code op codes are most often fixed size binary patterns,
     but can be variable size.  The data portion consists of zero
     or more bits whose format typically depends on the op code.
  
     A byte-code program is interpreted by a byte-code interpreter
     .  The advantage of this technique compared with
     outputing machine code for some particular processor is that
     the same byte-code can be executed on any processor on which
     the byte-code interpreter runs.  The byte-code may be compiled
     to machine code ("native code") for speed of execution but
     this usually requires significantly greater effort for each
     new taraget architecture than simply porting the interpreter.
  
     For example, Java is compiled to byte-code which runs on the
     Java Virtual Machine.
  
     (2006-05-29)