What is "object code"

n. (context computing English) The output of a compiler or assembler; it is not necessarily executable directly without linking to other modules

n. the machine-language output of a compiler that is ready for execution on a particular computer

Object code, or sometimes an object module, is what a computer compiler produces. In a general sense object code is a sequence of statements or instructions in a computer language, usually a machine code language (i.e., binary) or an intermediate language such as Register transfer language.

Object files can in turn be linked to form an executable file or library file. In order to be used, object code must either be placed in an executable file, a library file, or an object file.

Object code is a portion of machine code that has not yet been linked into a complete program. It is the machine code for one particular library or module that will make up the completed product. It may also contain placeholders or offsets, not found in the machine code of a completed program, that the linker will use to connect everything together. Whereas machine code is binary code that can be executed directly by the CPU, object code has the jumps partially parameterized so that a linker can fill them in.

An assembler is used to convert assembly code into machine code (object code). A linker links several object (and library) files to generate an executable. Assemblers can also compile directly to machine code executable files without the object intermediary step.