What is Machine Language?

Machine language is a low-level programming language that is understood by computers. Machine language is made up of binary bits 0 and 1. Machine language is also known as machine codes or object code. As machine language consists of only 0 and 1, that’s why it is difficult to understand in raw form. Machine language cannot understood by humans. The CPU processes this machine code as input. In this article, we are going to learn about what is Machine language, the features of machine language, the advantages and disadvantages of machine learning, and why it is difficult for humans to understand machine language(low-level language).

What is Machine Language?

Machine language is a low-level programming language that consists of binary bits i.e. only 0 and 1. The data present in binary form is the reason for its fast execution. In Machine language, instructions are directly executed by the CPU. Machine language is also known as object code or machine code. Machine language is binary language.

Machine Language

Needs of Machine Language

As a human, we write code in high level language. The programming language which we use to write codes such as C, C++ and java are high level languages. High level language is not understood by computer directly so it is converted into low level machine language to understand the meaning of code and perform execution. Computers compile the code written by us and translate into machine code and then execute it. Computers are only able to understand machine language.

Features of Machine Language

Below are some feature of Machine Language.

• Machine language is a low level language.
• Machine language consist of only 0 and 1 bits.
• Machine languages are platform dependent.
• It is nearly impossible to learn machine language for humans because it requires a lot of memoization.
• Machine language is used to create and construct drivers as well.

Understand the Complexity of Machine language

In machine language every character, integer and special symbols are written in form of 0 and 1 . To understand machine language let’s take an example of a machine language instruction. This is a simple addition operation: 01100110 00001010. This binary sequence represents an instruction that tells the computer to add two numbers together.

Meaning of Binary bits in Machine Language:

A sequence of bits is used to give commands in machine languages.

• The 1s (one) represents the true or on states.
• On the other hand, the 0s (zero) represent the off or false states.
• That’s why no human can remember the binary codes of machine languages. As a result, learning these languages is not possible for humans.

Machine Language Instruction Components

Machine language consist of two instruction components :

1. Operand(s)

The operand(s) represents the data that the operation must be performed on. This data can take various forms, depending on the processor’s architecture. This can be a register containing a value, a memory address pointing to a location in memory where the data is stored, or a constant value embedded within the instruction itself.

2. Opcode

The opcode (Operation code) represents the operation that the processor must perform. This indicate that the instruction is an arithmetic operation such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.

Advantages of Machine Language

Some advantages of machine language are listed below:

• Machine languages are faster in execution because they are in binary form.
• Machine language does not need to be translated , because it is already present in simple binary form.
• The CPU directly executes the machine language.
• The evolution of the computer system and operating system over the time period is due to machine language.
• Machine languages are used in developing a high-grade computer system.

Disadvantages of Machine Language

Some disadvantages of machine language are listed below:

• Machine language are complex to understand and memorize.
• Writing codes in machine language is time-consuming.
• It is very difficult to resolve bugs and errors present in the codes and programs.
• Codes written in machine languages are more prone to error.
• Machine languages are not easy to modify.
• Machine language are platform Independent.

FAQs on Machine Language

Q.1: Why machine language is low level language ?

Answer:

Machine language is made up of binary bits and is understood by computer. The CPU process this machine language as input for execution. That’s why it is low level language.

Q.2: What is difference between Assembly language and Machine language ?

Answer:

Machine language is only understood by computers not by humans while Assembly language is understood by humans not by computers.

Q.3: What is the meaning of 0 and 1 in binary bits ?

Answer:

0 represent false value or false state and 1 represent true value or true state.