main.c
is the source file written by you and given to the compiler for compilation
- the first file that is generated while compilation is the 'preprocessed file' that we call as
main.i
main.i
= collection of your code and contents of<stdio.h>
- here compiler finds for the signature/prototypes of the functions that are taken from the standard library files into source code.
main.i
is converted intomain.s
which is collection of assembly instructionsmain.i
--->main.s
= (Code generation stage) Higher level language code statements will be converted into processor architectural level mnemonics.main.s
--->main.o
(Assembler stage) Assembly level mnemonics are converted into opcodes (machine codes for instructions). (Object File)