Word
compile time
Definition
compound. the period when a computer program is being turned into a format the machine can run. It is the stage where the computer checks for errors in the code before the software actually starts.
compound. the duration or phase during which source code is translated into machine code by a compiler. Errors identified during this stage are contrasted with those that occur during program execution.
Examples
“The computer found a small error at compile time.”
“By catching the syntax error at compile time, the developer saved hours of debugging that would have been required if the app had crashed later.”
“Modern programming languages often use static analysis to resolve as many dependencies as possible at compile time, thereby reducing the overhead and potential for failure during the final execution phase.”
Examples
simple
“The computer found a small error at compile time.”
contextual
“By catching the syntax error at compile time, the developer saved hours of debugging that would have been required if the app had crashed later.”
complex
“Modern programming languages often use static analysis to resolve as many dependencies as possible at compile time, thereby reducing the overhead and potential for failure during the final execution phase.”
Usage
Often used as a noun adjunct or in prepositional phrases like 'at compile time'.
Pitfall
the error happened in compile time
the error happened at compile time
The preposition 'at' is the standard choice when referring to this specific phase of software development.
Etymology
A compound formed from the verb compile, derived from the Latin compilare meaning to plunder or bundle together, and the noun time. The term emerged as a functional descriptor during the development of early high-level programming languages to distinguish the translation phase from the execution phase.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/compile-time