An intermediate representation of source code that has been compiled into a platform-independent format, typically executed by a virtual machine.
Combines 'byte' (the basic unit of computer memory, 1960s) with 'code.' The concept emerged in the 1970s with P-code for Pascal, popularized by Java in the 1990s as a way to achieve 'write once, run anywhere' portability.
Think of bytecode as a universal translator - your Java code gets converted into this intermediate language that any computer can understand through a virtual machine, like having a diplomatic interpreter that lets anyone communicate regardless of their native language!
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