Compile time

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Compile time is the duration it takes to compile a module. Pascal modules can be be compiled in a very short time. A Hello, World program can be compiled in less than half a second. The FPC reports the time it took if the command line option -vi (show general information) is set.

Compile-time refers to the period when a Pascal module is being compiled. Thus “Compile-time information” refers to information known by the compiler during compilation. Examples of such information available at compile-time include compiler switches, values of identifiers defined as const, quoted strings, and the actual text of the program.

Information which is not available until the program is being executed is referred to as being known at run-time.

Information available at compile-time is usually more efficient for the program as initialization of constants and value-defined variables can be done once, when the program is compiled, as opposed to doing so at runtime each time the program is started.

see also