资料来源 : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

byte-code
     
         A {binary} file containing an
        {executable} program, formed by a sequence of {op code}/data
        pairs.
     
        Byte-code op codes are most often fixed size binary patterns,
        but can be variable size.  The data portion consists of zero
        or more {bits}, the format of the data portion may be
        determined by the identifier.  The data is most often variable
        in size.
     
        In some cases, by clever design, (e.g. some {RISC}
        {instruction sets}) the identifier/data pair is a fixed size.
        This can provide performance benefits.
     
        A byte-code program is normally interpreted by a {byte-code
        interpreter}.  The advantage of this technique compared with
        outputing {machine code} for a particular processor is that
        the same byte-code can be executed on any processor on which
        the byte-code interpreter runs.  The byte-code may be compiled
        to machine code ("native code") for speed of execution but
        this usually requires significantly greater effort for each
        new taraget architecture than simply porting the interpreter.
     
        For example, {Java} is compiled to byte-code which runs on the
        {Java Virtual Machine}.
     
        (1998-08-30)