Executable files: What are they and what types of executable computer documents are there?

A computer is much more complex than any user could imagine. If you knew its history and evolution you would really be surprised with what we have been able to achieve today. And among the many advances, today we want to talk about executable files.

These are special files that have the particularity of functioning by themselves, simply using an operating system, without having to install programs. In fact, they are the elements that make a program conform and appear out of nowhere (in many cases).

Are you curious? Want to learn more about executables? Although it may be a bit complex in terms of vocabulary, we are going to explain it in such a way that, when you finish the text, you are, yourself, able to explain what this resource consists of and you can get an idea, looking through your folders, of what they are. and which ones don’t.

What are executable files and what are they really for?

The executable filealways referring to computing, is that file that, due to its own characteristics, can be interpreted by a machine without requiring specific programs for it. Is that it will be the computer itself that recognizes it and executes it thanks to its composition. It is based on basic instructions own according to its purpose.

Usually, at the same time, they are of binary type and include scripts (They also have instructions that other software will interpret), although it doesn’t always have to be that way. It is based on machine code instructions. for specific processors.

In some cases, we also find bytecode with need for interpretation for what would be known as “making system calls”, something more complex but that also happens every day when we use a computer.

Be that as it may, if accompanied by others digital files, the executable will be the one that starts its execution, loading and handling.

We can classify them into:

• Portable. Its execution is available on various platforms.
• not portable. Such execution can only be performed on the platform for which the file is designed.

What we can conclude is that the concept has been becoming ambiguous, or just the opposite, because, as we advance in computing, the characteristics of the files have been changing, evolving to create more complex files that make classification fuzzy between a mere executable and a more complex script or file.

In the end, what we can determine is that the essence of this is that inside it has the instructions to be executedthese are not conferred or used by any other type of file or program, although it is true that, in addition to these, we can find an extra piece of information in some cases.

Self-executing files

Within these we can differentiate what we call files autorun. These have the instructions necessary so that they themselves can do the tasks assigned to them.

There is no original software required for this, but they can start to work on any computer regardless of what they have installed both on the system and afterwards.

Beware of executable files! The entire group is inherently dangerous by its very nature. However, the autorun is even more attractive for that the cybercriminal on duty turns it into malwarebeing, as you can imagine, much faster and easier to spread the equipment, since they do not require action by the user or specific elements.

Difference between executable files and non-executable files

We start by indicating that the executable works by itselfrunning by the computer and carrying out tasks according to encoded instructions.

The non-executable is an information container file; It is not executed by the machine but by a specific program for it (an image with a viewer or an editor, an audio with a player, etc.) and the task it has is specific. In fact, the computer cannot carry out such execution.

The types are, on the one hand, scripts or compiled and, on the other, text files, spreadsheets, videos, databases. That is, the latter are contained data that can be displayed to user Ypossibly, Modify if you have the necessary (extra) tool.

Types of executable file extensions and their associated programs to open them

On this occasion we cannot, as we always do, show you on a table, what softwares are used to open this type of files because, as we have already seen, they do not need them. What we will show you are some of its characteristics and the operating system in which they work.

As we always say, the table is made up of those most famous or functional executable files, but there are many more. Although, for a conventional use of a computer, knowing these will be more than enough for you to consider yourself an above-average user in this regard.