What is compiling?

Compiling is when you translate a programming language into a lower level programming language. For example, translating markdown into html.

'Low level' and 'high level' are contextual concepts. What feels high level in one context, can feel low level in another context. It depends on the hardware you're targeting, as well as the user you're targeting. So it's much easier to just call EVERYTHING compiling. Because it's not what I care about, and it annoys nerds.

What is compiling?

Language goes in. Language comes out.

For example: Markdown goes in. Html comes out.

function compile(markdown) {
  // ...
  return html
}

What is compiling?

Compiling has a mysterious reputation. It's a mountain. It's a monster. It's for a select few.

But at its bare bones, a compiler is just this: Language goes in. Language comes out. How you do that is entirely up to you - just like any other bit of programming.

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