Software Development
Source Code
Definition
Source code is any collection of code, with or without comments, written using a human-readable programming language, usually as plain text.
Why It Matters
Source code is the fundamental set of instructions written by programmers that defines how a piece of software works. It is the blueprint of a program.
Contextual Example
A developer writes Python source code in a text editor. This human-readable code is then either interpreted or compiled into machine code that the computer can execute.
Common Misunderstandings
- Source code is for humans. Machine code is for computers.
- In open-source software, the source code is publicly available for anyone to inspect, modify, and learn from. In proprietary software, it is kept secret.