Link time


In computer science, link time refers to the period of time, during the creation of a computer program, in which a linker is being applied to that program. Link time occurs after compile time and before runtime.
It is common to speak of link time operations or link time requirements.

Link time operations

The operations performed at link time usually include fixing up the addresses of externally referenced objects and functions, various kinds of cross module checks. Some optimizing compilers delay code generation until link time because it is here that information about a complete program is available to them. Resolving external variables in a program is also done at link time.
The link-time optimization, when enabled, occurs at link time.

Link time requirements

The definition of a programming language may specify link time requirements that source code must meet to be successfully compiled.

Exceptions

In some programming languages it may be necessary for some compilation and linking to occur at runtime.