Difference between Source Code and Object

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1. Source Code:
Source code refers to high level code or assembly code which is generated by
human/programmer. Source code is easy to read and modify. It is written by programmer
by using any High Level Language or Intermediate language which is human-readable.
Source code contains comments that programmer puts for better understanding.
Source code is provided to language translator which converts it into machine
understandable code which is called machine code or object code. Computer can not
understand direct source code, computer understands machine code and executes it. It is
considered as fundamental component of computer. In simple we can say source code is a
set of instructions/commands and statements which is written by a programmer by using
a computer programming language like C, C++, Java, Python, Assembly language etc. So
statements written in any programming language is termed as source code.
2. Object Code:
Object code refers to low level code which is understandable by machine. Object code is
generated from source code after going through compiler or other translator. It is in
executable machine code format. Object code contains a sequence of machine
understandable instructions to which Central Processing Unit understands and executes.
Object file contains object code. It is considered as one more of machine code. Some
object file examples are common object file format (COFF), COM files and “.exe” files.
It is the output of a compiler or other translator. We can understand source code but we
can not understand object code as it is not in plain text like source code rather it is in
binary formats.
The below figure illustrates the source code and object code:

Here are some similarities between source code and object code:
 Both are necessary for the software development process: Source code is used to
create software, and object code is the final product of the compilation process that is
executed by the computer.
 Both are created using programming languages: Source code is written in a high-level
programming language such as Java, C++, or Python, and object code is generated by
the compiler when it translates the source code into machine code.
 Both are necessary for debugging: Source code is used for debugging during the
development process, while object code can be used for debugging after the software
has been compiled.
 Both are necessary for software maintenance: Source code is used for making changes
or modifications to the software, and object code can be used for troubleshooting and
resolving issues that may arise during the software’s lifespan.
 Both can be protected by copyright law: Source code and object code can be protected
by copyright law to prevent unauthorized copying or use.
Difference between Source Code and Object Code :
S.
SOURCE CODE OBJECT CODE
No.

Source code is generated by human or Object code is generated by

01.
programmer. compiler or other translator.

02. Source code is high level code. Object code is low level code.

Object code is translated code of

Source code is written in plain text by using
03. source code. It is in binary
some high level programming language.
format.

Object code is not human

04. Source code is human understandable.
understandable.

Source code is not directly understandable by Object code is machine

05.
machine. understandable and executable.

It is written in machine language

It is written in a high-level language like C, C++,
06. through compiler or assembler or
Java, Python, etc., or assembly language.
other translator.

07. It can be easily modified. It can not be modified.

It contains comments for better understanding by It does not contain comments for
08.
programmer. understanding by machine.
 S.
SOURCE CODE OBJECT CODE
No.

It contains less number of statements than object It contains more number of

09.
code. statements than source code.

It is more close towards

10. It is less close. towards machine.
machine.

Performance of object code is

Performance of source code is less than object
11. more than source code as it is
code as it is less close towards machine.
more close towards machine.

Source code is input to compiler or any other Object code is output of compiler
12.
translator. or any other translator.

13. Source code is not system specific. Object code is system specific.

Source code needs to be

compiled or translated by any
14. It can be changed over time.
other translator to get modified
object code.

Language translators like compiler, assembler, Object code is machine code so

15. interpreter are used to translate source code to it does not require any
object code. translation.

The source lines of code gives the readability and

understandability to the user. Use of fewer lines This is not the case with object
16.
of code gives better performance by giving same code.
results in most cases.

Here are some key differences between source code and object code:
 Readability: Source code is human-readable, while object code is not.
 Editability: Source code can be easily edited and modified, while object code cannot.
 Portability: Source code can be compiled for different platforms, while object code is
specific to a particular platform or architecture.
 Size: Source code is generally larger than object code, as it includes comments, white
spaces, and other information that is not needed for execution.
 Debugging: Debugging is easier with source code, as programmers can see the code
and understand what is happening. Debugging object code requires specialized tools.
 Security: Source code is more vulnerable to unauthorized access and theft, as it is in a
human-readable format. Object code is more secure, as it is in a binary format that
cannot be easily understood.
Conclusion :
Source code is the human-readable version of a program, while object code is the
machine-readable version. Source code is easier to read, edit, and debug, while object
code is more secure and efficient for execution. Both are important in the software
development process and are used together to produce a functional program.
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