Assembler VS. Interpreter: Know the Differences between Assembler and Interpreter
Both of these are tools used in various computer systems but are different in many ways. In this article, we are going to discuss the differences between assembler and interpreter.
There are some compilers that convert the source code available in assembly language into an object code or a machine code that the machine can read. Such tools are known as assemblers. Interpreters, on the other hand, are tools that execute the instructions that are written in some language (programming language). An interpreter either directly executes these high-level codes, or it translates them to an intermediate code first, to execute/ interpret it into a pre-compiled code for the machine.
There are more ways in which both of these differ. Let us see how.
What is an Assembler?
It refers to a tool or any software that translates an available assembly language to a machine-understandable code/ language. Thus, an assembler is basically a compiler in which the source code exists in the assembly language. The assembly language is readable by humans- but it establishes a one-to-one relationship with its corresponding machine code.
Thus, an assembler performs an isomorphic translation (by one-to-one mapping). The advanced assemblers come with additional features for supporting the process of development of a program and debugging. For instance, an assembler type, known as the micro assembler, provides its users with a macro facility.
What is an Interpreter?
It refers to a tool or a computer program that performs execution of programming instructions. A typical interpreter either directly executes the available source code, or converts this source code to the intermediate code to directly execute it, or executes the precompiled code that the compiler produces. A few interpreter systems also come with a compiler to accomplish this task.
Some programming languages like Python, Perl, Ruby, and MATLAB utilise intermediate codes for the execution of the source code. UCSD Pascal performs the interpretation of the precompiled code. Also, some languages such as BASIC, Smalltalk, and Java first produce an intermediate code by compiling the source (this code is known as the bytecode) and then finally interpret it.
Difference between Assembler and Interpreter
Let us talk about the differences between Assembler and Interpreter. To make this topic more understandable and clear, we are comparing both of the terms based on their individual characteristics in a table.
| Parameters | Assembler | Interpreter |
| Basics | It is a special type of compiler that performs the translation of the available Assembly language into a machine language/ code. | These are tools used to perform the execution of the instruction available in any language. An interpreter system may contain a compiler for pre-compiling the codes before executing them. But we cannot call an interpreter a special or advanced type of compiler. |
| Execution of a Program | An assembler produces object codes. One has to link these object codes using a linker program for running it on any machine. | A majority of interpreters can execute a program on their own. |
| One-on-one Translation | The assemblers can perform one-on-one translation. | A majority of the interpreters cannot perform one-on-one translation. |
| Used For | Since the assembly language involves a one-on-one mapping with the machine code, we can use an assembler to produce efficiently running codes for those occasions where the performance of the system is very crucial. | Since an interpreter executes the programs on its own, we use it when we need high portability in a system. |
| Example | For instance, we can use assemblers in graphic engines and those embedded systems that have a limited resource as compared to PCs, like washing machines, microwaves, etc. | For instance, we utilise the interpreters for running the very same Java bytecode on various platforms. The appropriate interpreter here would be a Java Virtual Machine or a JVM. |
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