Compiler verses Interpreter:

Compiler

1.      A compiled program will almost run faster than an interpreted program.

2.      The object program (the machine code generated by the compiler) may be saved on disk and run as many times as required without being recompiled.

3.      A compiler can give more helpful error messages: if, for example, a keyword (reserved word) is misspell all through the program, an interpreter will only find the first instance, whereas a compiler will list them all.

4.      A compiler will check the syntax of the entire program, whereas an interpreter will only check the syntax of the statements that are executed during that particular run of the program. Certain branches of the program may therefore not be checked until very thorough testing takes place.

5.      Commercially produced software can be sold in the form of object code, thus preventing purchasers’ from listing the source code or making modifications to it.

Interpreter:

1.      Interpreters are very convenient for program development, since making modifications does not mean that the whole program has to be reloaded and recompiled, which can take a considerable time. Many interpreters will allow a program to run up to the point where an error occurs, let the programmer fix the error and then continue to run the program form that point.

2.      An interpreter is simpler to write and is usually cheaper to buy than a compiler.