Executable Files vs. Non Executable Files
Key Differences
Comparison Chart
Definition
Direct / Indirect Execution
Limitations
Working
Examples
Extensions
Executable Files vs. Executable Files
Executed files are those files that are executed by CPU and can perform different tasks according to the given instructions directly. Non-executable files are those files that are not executed by the CPU directly, and these files only perform the specific tasks. When a file is opened, the CPU executes the executable file. An executable file can be a script or a compiled program. The basic format of windows executable file is .exe, whereas the format of the mac computer is .app format. Some extensions of non-executable files are .mp3, .mp4, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .doc, .ppt, .pdf, .txt, .html, .css, .js, .xml, .sql, .db, etc.
The executable files may contain viruses, so it is important to avoid the executable files that came from an open-source. In non-executable files, the CPU does not execute these files; the user can only view the file and its file properties. The files that came from an unknown source can affect the data and all the computer resources. The unreliable executable files that run directly should be avoided. The non-executable files are the read-only files, and they can not be changed.
The examples of executable files are compiled programs and scripts, whereas the examples of the non-executable file are audio, video, images, spreadsheets, text files, zip files, temporary files, database files, and system files, etc. Non-executable files perform only a specific task, and CPU does not execute these files directly. However, the non-executable files contain different file formats that are dependent on different file types.
What are Executable Files ?
The executed files are those files that are executed by CPU and can perform different tasks according to the given instructions directly. When a file is opened, the CPU executes the executable file. An executable file can be a script or a compiled program. The basic format of windows executable file is .exe, whereas the format of the mac computer is .app format. The executable files may contain viruses, so it is essential to avoid the executable files that came from an open-source. The files that came from an unknown source can affect the data and all the computer resources. The unreliable executable files that run directly should be avoided.
The executable file has two basic types, which are compiled programs and scripts. The programs that have been compiled by the windows operating system have the file extension of .exe, which is also known as EXE files, whereas the .app is the extension of compiled programs of mac computers, which is the short term of application. These two types of executable files, e.g., compiled programs and the scripts are directly executed by the central processing unit. Exe files and app files extensions run only in windows and mac computers accordingly. These file formats can only be understood by the operating system that has been installed. The uncompiled executable files that are in plain text format is known as script. The script files can be opened in a text editor, and an interpreter is used to run it, e.g., PHP file.
What are Non-Executable Files ?
In non-executable files, the user can only view files and their file properties. The non-executable files are the read-only files, and they can not be changed. The examples of the non-executable file are audio, video, images, spreadsheets and pictures, etc. Non-executable files perform only a specific task, and the CPU does not execute these files directly. Every system has various non-executable files. However, the non-executable files contain different file formats that are dependent on different file types.
Types
The following are the types and examples of non-executable files.
- Audio files: The extension of audio files are .mp3 (MPEG Layer-3), .wav (Wave files), .wmv (windows media video)
- Video file: The extension of video files are .mp4 (MPEG4 video file), .mpg (MPEG video file), .wmv (Window Media Video file)
- Image files:.jpg, .jpeg (JPEG image file), .png (PNG image file), .gif (GIF image file), .bmp (Bitmap image file), .tif (TIF image)
- Compressed files: The extension of compressed files are .zip, .z, .tar
- Presentation files: The extension of PowerPoint file is .ppt
- Spreadsheet file: The extension of excel file is .xsl
- Word / Text files:.pdf (PDF file), .txt (Text file), .doc (Microsoft word file)
- System files: .sys (Windows system file), .dll (DLL file), .tmp (temporary file)
- Data and database files:.xml, .sql (Structured Query Language file), .dat (Data files), .db (Database files), .log (Log files), .csv (Comma Separated Value files)
- Internet related files:.html (hyper text markup language file), .css (cascade style sheet file), .jsp (java server pages file), .js (java script file)
