C makes the world go round. ## Overview of Compilation In C, there are 3 general stages when you convert your C file into an [[../../../02 Areas/Computer Science/Executable|Executable]]. ```mermaid flowchart LR; A["`*Source Code*`"] --> B["`*Compiler*`"] --> C["`*Assembler*`"] --> D["`*Object Code*`"] --> E["`*Linker*`"] --> F["`*Executable*`"]; ``` When you run your program, the software that handles your code goes from: - The [[Preprocessor|Preprocessor]] - The [[Compiler]] - The [[Linker]] When we convert our code to an [[../../../02 Areas/Computer Science/Executable|Executable]], people typically just say "Compilation", but the actual [[Compiler]] is only a third of the process.