The Software IP Detective’s Handbook: Measurement, Comparison, and Infringement Detection

4. Object Code and Assembly Code

The computer processor, the brains of the computer, requires sequences of ones and zeros that represent very basic commands to control input and output devices and to perform calculations. The raw sequences of ones and zeros are called “object code.” The mnemonics that are used to make these low-level instructions somewhat readable to humans constitute “assembly code.” These kinds of code are described in more detail in this chapter.

4.1 Object Code

For most computer programs, the source code gets changed into many logical ones and zeros that represent very basic instructions for the computer, also known as “machine language.” One such instruction may be to add two integers. Another such instruction may be to ...