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Executable
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Computer_science/lN3pEyPz">computer science</a>, executable code, an executable file, or an executable program, sometimes simply referred to as an executable or binary, causes a computer "to perform indicated tasks according to encoded <a href="/facts/Instruction_(computer_science)/8p8vwUeE">instructions</a>", as opposed to a <a href="/facts/Data_(computing)/cPjfFHph">data file</a> that must be interpreted (<a href="/facts/Parser/nRKB01S3">parsed</a>) by an <a href="/facts/Interpreter_(computing)/JB85fbyb">interpreter</a> to be functional. </p><p>The exact interpretation depends upon the use. "Instructions" is traditionally taken to mean <a href="/facts/Machine_code/bgdQ1Fxf">machine code</a> instructions for a physical <a href="/facts/Central_processing_unit/Jxp1bqMV">CPU</a>. In some contexts, a file containing scripting instructions (such as <a href="/facts/Bytecode/EPkMFR7M">bytecode</a>) may also be considered executable. </p>