Program Interpreters
Manuel Alfonseca · Wiley Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Engineering · 2009
Abstract This article summarizes the characteristics, structure, advantages, disadvantages, and applications of program interpreters. Interpreters may be used, in preference to compilers, for portability or security reasons, for the ability to use powerful dynamic constructs, or for fast building of easy‐to‐debug prototypes. It must be taken into account, however, that interpreters and compilers have converged: Current interpreters use many optimization techniques originally developed for compilers, whereas some compilers reach typical advantages of interpreters through the use of sophisticated techniques.