Targeting a different CPU architecture
Today, many small computers, such as the Raspberry Pi, are in use despite having only limited resources. Running a compiler on such a computer is often not possible or it takes too much time. Thus, a common requirement for a compiler is to generate code for a different CPU architecture. The whole process of having a host compile an executable for a different target is called cross-compiling.
In cross-compiling, two systems are involved: the host system and the target system. The compiler runs on the host system and produces code for the target system. To denote the systems, the so-called triple is used. This is a configuration string that usually consists of the CPU architecture, the vendor, and the operating system. Furthermore, additional information about the environment is often added to the configuration string. For example, the x86_64-pc-win32 triple is used for a Windows system running on a 64-bit X86 CPU. The CPU architecture is x86_64...
