Execution (computing)

Execution in <a href="/facts/Computer_engineering/5x1TRKGo">computer</a> and software engineering is the process by which a <a href="/facts/Computer/SQe1aK05">computer</a> or <a href="/facts/Virtual_machine/BLevU3sx">virtual machine</a> interprets and acts on the instructions of a <a href="/facts/Computer_program/e38jH9N9">computer program</a>. Each instruction of a program is a description of a particular action which must be carried out, in order for a specific problem to be solved. Execution involves repeatedly following a "<a href="/facts/Instruction_cycle/uYmJEfHK">fetch–decode–execute</a>" cycle for each instruction done by the <a href="/facts/Control_unit/8QRX3lwf">control unit</a>. As the executing machine follows the instructions, specific effects are produced in accordance with the <a href="/facts/Formal_semantics_of_programming_languages/JEP1zyBv">semantics</a> of those instructions. 
Programs for a computer may be executed in a <a href="/facts/Batch_processing/hKY2rX3N">batch process</a> without human interaction or a <a href="/facts/User_(computing)/zQRzG0KG">user</a> may type <a href="/facts/Command_(computing)/zUrvQbFy">commands</a> in an <a href="/facts/Session_(computer_science)/PRQuXhIL">interactive session</a> of an <a href="/facts/Interpreter_(computing)/JB85fbyb">interpreter</a>. In this case, the "commands" are simply program instructions, whose execution is chained together. 
The term run is used almost synonymously. A related meaning of both "to run" and "to execute" refers to the specific action of a user starting (or launching or invoking) a program, as in "Please run the application."

Execution (computing) open-in-new

Execution (computing)