Definition

1. Noun:
   • A fully compiled or assembled program ready to be loaded into the computer: An "object program" is the final, machine-readable output produced by a compiler or assembler from source code. It contains instructions in a form (often binary or object code) that a computer's processor can execute directly, but it is not yet an actively running program.

Usage

• The term is used in computing and software development to refer to the output of the compilation process, which is then linked or loaded into memory to create an executable program.
• It is often contrasted with "source program" (the human-readable code) and "executable program" (the final, runnable file).

Examples

• Noun:
  • After successful compilation, the linker combines the object program with necessary libraries to create an executable.
  • The compiler generated an object program, but we still need to resolve external references before it can run.

Advanced Usage

• "Relocatable object program": An object program that contains code which can be loaded into and executed from various memory addresses.
  • The assembler produced a relocatable object program, allowing the operating system to load it into available memory space.

Variants and Related Words

• Object code (n): The machine code instructions and data contained within an object program. Often used synonymously with "object program," though "object code" can refer more specifically to the low-level content.
  • The debugger allows you to step through the object code.
• Executable (n): The final, linked program file that can be run by the operating system. An object program is typically a component used to build an executable.
  • The build process creates the executable from several object programs.

Synonyms

• Object module: A file containing an object program, especially before linking.
• Binary file: A file containing non-textual, often executable or object, data.

Related Phrases

• Link object programs: The process of combining one or more object programs and libraries to resolve addresses and create a single executable.
  • The build script's next step is to link the object programs.

Noun

1. a fully compiled or assembled program ready to be loaded into the computer