Intermediate Language
An intermediate language (IL) is a low-level, platform-independent representation of code used as an intermediate step in compilation or execution. It serves as a bridge between high-level source code and machine-specific native code, enabling optimizations, portability, and features like just-in-time (JIT) compilation. Common examples include Java bytecode, Microsoft's Common Intermediate Language (CIL), and LLVM's Intermediate Representation (IR).
Developers should learn about intermediate languages when working with compilers, virtual machines, or cross-platform development to understand how code is transformed and optimized. It is essential for building or extending languages (e.g., with LLVM IR), debugging performance in environments like .NET or Java, and implementing features such as ahead-of-time (AOT) or JIT compilation in systems programming.