Guide to the Miracle C Compiler
Compiler Basics
But isn't a compiler what you use to write source code?
You can
write source code in any text-editing or word-processing program and then
cut and paste it into a compiler, but most compilers come with their own
text editors. Compiler text editors are geared specifically to the job
of writing source code. They generally color the different program elements
as in the "Hello,World!" example above. This lets programmers catch mistakes
early and read their work more easily. Some compiler text editors also
automatically indent or outdent lines according to standard C programming
conventions.