Interpreter

An interpreter is a program that executes code directly without first having to translate it into the system's native programming language.

Functionality and Use

An interpreter reads the source code line by line and executes it immediately. Translation and execution occur simultaneously. If an error occurs in the code, execution stops immediately, since the interpreter does not check or correct the code in its entirety beforehand. This makes it well-suited for quickly identifying programming errors.

They are frequently used in programming languages and are primarily used in situations where rapid development, testing, and direct execution are important.

Examples

• Run a Python script directly in the console
• JavaScript runs immediately in the browser, for example, on interactive websites
• PHP processes web pages on the server to generate dynamic web pages
• Test code step by step in the REPL