What is difference between a source program and an object module?

Answer 1

An object program is a compiled program ready to be loaded on a computer,

i.e. machine code, ready to be executed by the machine.

A source program is what the programmer wrote, which is then translated into object program by a compiler.

Answer 2

Source files are the high-level code files that we use to both develop and maintain our programs. Object files contain the symbolic machine code produced by the compiler from our source files. Object files are used by the linker to produce a machine code executable.

Answer 3

Source files are a requirement of any programming language -- that's where the code is actually written. Object files are created by compilers. They are important because they are the files used by the linker to produce the actual machine code.

Java does not produce machine code, it produces byte code which can run in the Java virtual machine.

Answer 4

Object code is necessary because compiling a large and complex program can take many minutes or even hours. By modularising your code into separate translation units, only those units affected by code changes since the last compilation need to be recompiled. This is achieved by creating object files containing the object code for each translation unit. Once all translation files have been compiled, they can then be linked to create the final executable. Some translation units may be inter-dependent upon other translation units. For instance, suppose unit A is dependent upon units B and C, but B and C are not dependent upon each other. Assuming all three have been compiled at some point, any future changes to B will result in both B and A being recompiled (in that order), but the object code for C is not affected and does not need to be recompiled. For that reason it is (usually) best to start with low-level units first, those for which there may be a high number of dependants. Once the low-level units are finalised you shouldn't have to change them in future thus their dependants won't need to be continually recompiled. It is also useful to create just one dependant (even a temporary one) that thoroughly tests your low-level units.

Answer 5

The source program is the source code the programmer writes. The object program constitutes the object files containing the object code created by the compiler which is used by the linker to create the machine code.

Answer 6

source program is a program written in general language (English) which can be understood by users. where as, object program or object module is written in a language which the system can understand( binary language 0's and 1's)....

Answer 7

A source program contains source code while an object module contains object code. Object code is the output typically produced by a C or C++ compiler from source code. Each translation unit in the source code produces one object module. In order to produce machine code from the object code, the object modules must be linked together along with any static library code required by the program. This is achieved with a separate program called a linker.