Bytecode

Bytecode is a hardware machine independent representation of a set of primitive instructions that has to be processed by a computer. To do so, the bytecode has to be interpreted by an interpreter or a so-called virtual machine.

Probably the best known example of the use of bytecode is Java. After a Java program is written, the bytecode is generated by the Java compiler. The bytecode is executed by the Java virtual machine.

The use of bytecode makes it possible to write computer programs that are machine independent. The bytecode can be executed on any computer for which the necessary virtual machine is available.