What happens when you type gcc main.c

First, we have to recognize that all files ending with “.c extension” are C programming files and knowing that in advance we can continue.

We also have to understand all the compilation process of a .c file.

Pre-processor: Basically in this step, it processes the file and it takes it into the compiler.

To do this operation we need to use gcc -E

Compiler: This is the second step in which the file it’s translated into machine code.

To do this operation we need to use gcc -S

Assembler: It compiles the file into binary code.

To do this operation we need to use gcc -c

Linker: This is the final process in which it creates the final executable file.

Note: We use gcc -o <file> place the output into <file>

In summary, when we use gcc main.c it creates an executable called “a.out”.