Encyclopedia > Cross-compilation

  Article Content

Cross-compilation

Compiling a program takes place by running the compiler on the build platform. The compiled program will run on the target platform. Usually these two are the same; if they are different, the process is called cross-compilation.

Typically the hardware architecture[?] differs, like for example when compiling a program destined for the MIPS architecture on a X86 computer; but cross-compilation is also applicable when only the operating system environment differs, as when compiling a Hurd program under Linux.

Cross-compilation is somewhat more involved and errors are easier to make than with normal compilation. Due to this it is normally only employed if the target is not yet self-hosting (able to compile programs on its own), unstable, or the build system is simply much faster. For many embedded systems cross-compilation is the only possible way (some may be not powerful enough to run a compiler).



All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

 
  Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!
 
 
  
  Featured Article
Shoreham, New York

... New York Shoreham is a village located in Suffolk County, New York. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 417. Geography Shoreham is ...

 
 
 
This page was created in 25.6 ms