What is Machine Level Language?
Demystifying Machine Level Language: Understanding the Basics
Machine language is the lowest level programming language that can be directly understood by a computer's central processing unit (CPU). It is a set of instructions that are written in binary code, which is a series of 0s and 1s. Machine language is also known as machine code or object code.
Machine language is very difficult for humans to write and understand, so it is rarely used directly. Instead, programmers use high-level programming languages, which are more abstract and easier to work with. High-level languages are then translated into machine language by a compiler or interpreter.
Here is an example of a machine language instruction for adding two numbers:
0011 0000 0000 0001 0000 0000 0000 0010
This instruction tells the CPU to add the numbers 1 and 2. The first four bits are the opcode, which tells the CPU what to do. In this case, the opcode is 0011, which means "add." The next eight bits are the first operand, which is the number 1. The last eight bits are the second operand, which is the number 2.
Machine language is a very efficient way to program a computer, but it is also very difficult to work with. For this reason, high-level programming languages are more commonly used.
Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of machine language:
Advantages:
- Very efficient
- Can be directly executed by the CPU
- Does not require a compiler or interpreter
Disadvantages:
- Very difficult to write and understand
- Not portable (different CPUs have different machine languages)
- Not very flexible