Legal Definitions - object code

Object code refers to the final, compiled version of a computer program that a machine can directly understand and execute. It is generated from human-written "source code" through a process called compilation. While source code is readable and understandable by programmers, object code is a series of binary instructions (often represented as ones and zeros) that are efficient for a computer to process but very difficult for humans to decipher or modify without the original source code. This makes object code a crucial element in protecting software developers' intellectual property, as it is the form typically distributed to end-users and is safeguarded by intellectual property laws such as copyright and patent.

• Example 1: A Purchased Video Game

  When you buy a new video game for your console or PC, you receive the game in its object code form. You can install and play the game immediately, enjoying its graphics, story, and gameplay. However, you cannot easily access or change the underlying programming instructions that dictate how characters move, how the game physics work, or how the artificial intelligence behaves.

  This illustrates object code because the game publisher distributes the executable, machine-readable version of the software. This allows players to run the game but protects the developer's proprietary source code, preventing unauthorized modification or replication of the game's core logic.

• Example 2: A Smartphone Application

  When you download a new app from an app store to your smartphone, you are downloading the app's object code. The app then runs on your device, performing its intended functions like sending messages, editing photos, or tracking your fitness. You interact with the app's user interface, but you don't see the original programming language (like Swift, Kotlin, or Java) that the developers used to build it.

  This demonstrates object code as the compiled, ready-to-run version of the software. The app store provides this form to users, ensuring the app functions correctly while keeping the developer's intellectual property—the source code containing their unique algorithms and design—secure from easy inspection or copying.

• Example 3: Your Computer's Operating System

  When you install an operating system like Windows, macOS, or Linux on your computer, you are installing its object code. This allows your computer to boot up, manage hardware components, run other applications, and perform all its fundamental tasks. While you can customize settings and install new programs, you cannot easily inspect or alter the core programming that makes the operating system function at its most basic level.

  This exemplifies object code as the fundamental, compiled software that enables a computer to operate. The company that developed the operating system distributes it in this form to protect its complex and proprietary programming, making it extremely difficult for others to replicate or modify its core functionality without authorization.