Dictionary.net

program instructions written as an ASCII text file; must be translated by a compiler or interpreter or assembler into the object code for a particular computer before execution

program instructions written as an ASCII text file; must be translated by a compiler or interpreter or assembler into the object code for a particular computer before execution

(Or "source", or rarely "source language")The form in which a computer program (software) is written bythe programmer. Source code is written in some formalprogramming language which can be compiled automatically intoobject code or machine code or executed by an interpreter.Source code might be stored in a source code management system.If you have the source code for a program rather than just itscompiled, executable form, then you can, with the right tools,modify it to fix bugs or add new features. This is the basisof the open source philosophy - empowering people to improve thesoftware they use for the benefit of themselves and others.The Jargon File would have us believe that an old-time hackermight refer to source code informally as "English", with theimplication that to him his favourite programming language is atleast as readable as English.