Cross compilers are devices that are capable of manufacturing executable code that can be run on a platform that is currently not the resident platform for the compiler. The utilization of a cross compiler is common when there is a need to make use of multiple platforms in order to handle computing functions. This will include embedded systems where each embedded computer within the system has a smaller amount of resources. The use of a cross compiler makes it possible to overcome this lack of resources by creating an interrelated execution between various components on the system.

One excellent example of the use of a cross compiler is when microcontrollers are in use within a system. Generally, a microcontroller does not contain a great deal of memory. By using a cross compiler to handle the creation and issue of execution of commands, less of the resources for the microcontroller are tied up in administrative orders, and can be directed toward performing the task ordered by the cross compiler.

The cross compiler can help to create a working network between different types of machines, or even different versions of an operating system. In this application, a company could use both older and more recent versions of an operating system to access a common network, even if the workstations in the office featured a wide range of desktop computers of varying age and capacity. The use of a cross compiler makes it possible to gather all these varied elements into a cohesive build environment that will allow each of the stations to access essential files and data that resides on the common server.

Use of the cross compiler goes back to the early days of the development of Windows and the gradual decline in the use of DOS by many end users. Today, the cross compiler remains a common means of maximizing the efficiency of several components. However, virtual machines such as Java’s JVM are capable of handling at last a portion of the functions that once were only possible with the use of a cross compiler.