Is C# partially interpreted or really compiled?

Question

There is a lot of contradicting information about this. While some say C# is compiled (as it is compiled into IL and then to native code when run), others say it\'s interpre

Answer 1

Since a computer can only execute binary code, any language will lead to the production of binary code at one point or another. The question is : does the language let you produce a program in binary code? If yes, then it is a compiled language : by definition "compiled" in "compiled language" refers to compilation into binary code, not transformation into some intermediary code. If the language lead to the production of such intermediary code for a program, it will need an additional software to perform the binary compilation from this code : it is then an interpreted language. Is a program "compiled" by C# directly executable on a machine without any other software at all installed on this machine? if no, then it is an interpreted language. For an interpreted language, it is an interpreter that will generate the underlying binary code, most of the time in a dynamic way since this mechanism is the basis of the flexibility of such languages. rem. : sometimes it does not look obvious because the interpreter is bundled into the OS