What does the term 'source code' refer to?

The term 'source code' specifically refers to the human-readable instructions written by a programmer. This code is typically written in a programming language, such as Python, Java, or C++, and serves as the foundational text that developers create and modify in order to build software applications. Source code is crafted with the intent that it can be read and understood by humans, allowing for debugging, collaboration, and iterative development.

When the source code is complete, it can be compiled or interpreted to create executable programs, which are then able to run on computers. Understanding that source code is the raw set of instructions is fundamental in programming, as it differentiates the underlying logic and functionality of software from the output or data it processes. Additionally, source code is distinct from input data, which refers to the data that a program receives to operate, and from output, which is the result produced by executing the program. Compilation errors occur when the code is processed and indicate issues within the source code, but they do not define what source code itself is.