Difference between a Script file and a Binary file in C

In this article, we will discuss the difference between the Script files and binary files in C. But before discussing their differences, we must know about the Script files and binary files.

Script files and binary files have different functions and are distinguished in C programming. Let's take a closer look at the distinctions between binary and script files:

Nature of Content:

Script File: A script file is a text file that humans can read and is intended to be read by an interpreter or shell. Writing scripts in scripting languages like Perl, Python, or Shell scripts is common.

Binary files: Often in the form of executable programs, data files, or compiled code, binary files contain non-human readable data. Humans are not supposed to be able to read binary files easily.

Execution:

Script File: An interpreter must carry out the instructions line by line. At runtime, the interpreter reads and performs the commands in the script.

Binary File: It contains precompiled machine code that doesn't require interpretation and can be run straight by the computer's hardware. Usually, an executable program must be run to execute a binary file.

Mobility:

Script File: Generally more portable as long as the required interpreter is available for the target system. The script itself is often platform-independent.

Binary File: It is platform-specific because the machine code is compiled. It is necessary to compile binaries independently for every target architecture.

Readability:

Script File: Humans can read script files because it is just plain text. A text editor can be used to open and edit it.

Binary File: It is difficult for humans to read because it is encoded and compiled. Specialized tools are frequently needed to view or edit the content.

Editing and Compilation:

Script File: The text editor was used to edit the script file directly. The interpreter reads the script and runs it on the fly, so there is no need for an explicit compilation step.

Binary File: Before being executed, it must be compiled. A compiler translates source code, which is written in a high-level language, into machine code or bytecode.

As an illustration:

Script File: Script files include Perl, Python, and Shell scripts (such as Bash scripts).

Binary File: Binary files include compiled libraries and executable programs (.exe files for Windows, ELF files for Unix-based systems, etc.).

Performance:

Script File: Script files are typically slower than compiled binaries because the interpreter must process the code at runtime.

Binary File: Usually quicker because the computer's hardware can immediately execute the code because it has already been precompiled into machine code.

Main Differences between the Script File and Binary File:

There are several differences between the script file and the binary file. Some main differences are as follows:

S.No	Script File	Binary File
1	Any file with a series of instructions written in any scripting language that must be carried out sequentially is called a script file.	The data is formatted in a binary file that is only understandable by specific processors or applications.
2	It uses the ASCII character format for data storage.	It stores data in binary format with the aid of 0 and 1.
3	Errors in script files are simple to identify and fix.	A binary file that contains an error is corrupted and difficult to find.
4	Humans can read it.	Humans cannot read it.
5	It is easily adjustable.	It requires specialized software to be altered; humans cannot directly modify it.
6	Any text viewer or text editor can be used to view it.	Specific software is required to view a binary file. For instance, we need an image viewer to view an image's binary file.
7	The writing style used is High-Level Language.	The language used to write it is Low-Level.
8	Shell script files typically have the.sh,.csh, etc. extension.	The most common extensions are.bin and.dat.

Example:

Let's take an example to illustrate the working of script file and binary file in C.

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf("Hello, this is a C script!\n");
int a = 5;
int b = 7;
int sum = a + b;
printf("The sum of %d and %d is: %d\n", a, b, sum);
printf("Listing files in the current directory:\n");
system("ls");
return 0;
}

Output:

Difference between a Script file and a Binary file in C

Explanation:

The program prints a greeting.
It does some simple computations (script-like).
It runs a shell command (as in this example) as if it were a script by utilizing the system function.

Save this code in a file with a .c extension (e.g., myscript.c), then compile, and run it using a C compiler:

gcc myscript.c -o myscript
./myscript

It should be noted that using the system function to run shell commands should be done carefully because improperly sanitized input could pose security risks. Using Python or Shell scripting for scripting tasks in real-world scenarios would be more appropriate. For systems programming or creating compiled applications, C is typically utilized.

Example:

#include <stdio.h>
struct Student {
char name[50];
int rollNumber;
float marks;
};
int main() {
struct Student student1 = {"John Doe", 101, 85.5};
FILE *file = fopen("student_data.bin", "wb");
if (file == NULL) {
fprintf(stderr, "Error opening file for writing.\n");
return 1;
}
fwrite(&student1, sizeof(struct Student), 1, file);
fclose(file);
printf("Data written to binary file successfully.\n");
return 0;
}

Output:

Explanation:

In this example, we define a struct called Student to represent student data.
Student1 is the name of the newly created and initialized instance of struct Student.
After that, we open the "student_data.bin" binary file in write mode (wb).
The contents of student1 are written to the binary file using the fwrite function.
We close the file at the end.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, binary files are compiled and contain machine code that can be run by the computer directly, whereas script files are usually human-readable text files that are interpreted at runtime. Performance requirements, portability, and ease of development are factors that influence which one to choose.

Next TopicC Programming Test

← prev next →