Difference Between Native Compilation and Cross Compilation Explained With Example

Compilation is a fundamental process in software development, converting source code into executable programs. Understanding the difference between native compilation and cross-compilation is essential for optimizing development workflows, particularly when targeting different platforms or hardware architectures. In this blog post, we’ll explore the key differences between these two compilation methods and provide examples to illustrate their applications.

1. What is Native Compilation?

Native compilation refers to the process of compiling code on the same platform or architecture that will execute the resulting binary. This means that the compiler, the source code, and the resulting executable all run on the same system.

1.1. How Native Compilation Works

In native compilation, the compiler translates the source code into machine code specific to the host system’s architecture. For example, compiling a C program on a Windows PC using a Windows-based compiler results in an executable that runs natively on that Windows PC.

Example of Native Compilation

Consider the following C code in hello.c:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    printf("Hello, World!\n");
    return 0;
}

To compile this code natively on a Linux system using GCC:

gcc -o hello hello.c

sudo apt-get install gcc-arm-none-eabi

arm-none-eabi-gcc -o hello.elf hello.c