Is Perl Interpreted or Compiled? Understanding the Mechanism with Simple Examples
When it comes to programming languages, one of the fundamental questions developers often ask is whether a language is interpreted or compiled. This distinction affects not only how the language runs but also the development process itself.
Perl, a versatile and powerful language, often raises this question: Is Perl interpreted or compiled? The answer is not as straightforward as it might seem.
Understanding Interpreted and Compiled Languages
Before delving into Perl’s classification, it’s essential to understand what it means for a language to be interpreted or compiled.
Interpreted Languages: In an interpreted language, code is executed line-by-line by an interpreter. The interpreter reads the code, analyzes it, and then performs the specified instructions.
Since the code is interpreted at runtime, it can be more flexible but often slower compared to compiled languages.
Compiled Languages: Compiled languages, on the other hand, require the source code to be transformed into machine…
