Cross compiler

A cross compiler is a compiler capable of creating executable code for a platform other than the one on which the compiler is running. For example, a compiler that runs on a Windows 7 PC but generates code that runs on Android smartphone is a cross compiler.

A cross compiler is necessary to compile for multiple platforms from one machine. A platform could be infeasible for a compiler to run on, such as for the microcontroller of an embedded system because those systems contain no operating system. In paravirtualization one machine runs many operating systems, and a cross compiler could generate an executable for each of them from one main source.

Cross compilers are not to be confused with source-to-source compilers. A cross compiler is for cross-platform software development of binary code, while a source-to-source compiler translates from one programming language to another in text code. Both are programming tools.

Uses of cross compilers

The fundamental use of a cross compiler is to separate the build environment from target environment. This is useful in a number of situations: