Compiler

As we discussed in the previous sections, the compiler accepts the translation unit prepared by the preprocessor and generates the corresponding assembly instructions. When multiple C sources are compiled into their equivalent assembly code, the existing tools in the platform, such as the assembler and the linker, manage the rest by making relocatable object files out of the generated assembly code and finally linking them together (and possibly with other object files) to form a library or an executable file.

As an example, we spoke about as and ld as two examples among the many available tools in Unix for C development. These tools are mainly used to create platform-compatible object files. These tools exist necessarily outside of gcc or any other compiler. By existing outside of any compiler, we actually mean that they are not developed as a part of gcc (we have chosen gcc as an example) and they should be available on any platform even without having gcc installed....