This chapter describes how to use the C++ compiler.
The principal use of any compiler is to transform a program written in a high-level language like C++ into a data file that is executable by the target computer hardware. You can use the C++ compiler to do the following:
Transform source files into relocatable binary (.o) files, to be linked later into an executable file, a static (archive) library (.a) file (using -xar), or a dynamic (shared) library (.so) file
Link or relink object files or library files (or both) into an executable file
Compile an executable file with runtime debugging enabled (-g)
Compile an executable file with runtime statement or procedure-level profiling (-pg)