Command: mpicc -c path/to/file.c

Motivation: When developing a large codebase, it is often beneficial to compile source code files into object files separately. This allows for faster compilation times when making changes to the code, as only the modified files need to be recompiled. This can significantly speed up the development and debugging process.

Explanation: The mpicc -c command is used to compile a source code file (file.c) into an object file. The -c flag tells mpicc to generate the object file without linking it to create an executable.

Example:

mpicc -c path/to/file.c

This command takes the file.c source code file located in path/to/ directory and compiles it into an object file. The resulting object file (file.o) will be generated in the same directory.

2: Linking an object file and making an executable

Command: mpicc -o executable path/to/object_file.o

Motivation: After compiling source code files into object files, the next step is to link these object files together to create an executable. This is necessary when the code consists of multiple files or when using external libraries.

Explanation: The mpicc -o command is used to link an object file (object_file.o) and create an executable (executable). The -o flag is followed by the desired name for the executable.

Example:

mpicc -o executable path/to/object_file.o

This command takes the object_file.o object file located in path/to/ directory and links it to create an executable named executable. The resulting executable will be generated in the same directory.

3: Compiling and linking source code in a single command

Command: mpicc -o executable path/to/file.c

Motivation: When a codebase consists of only a few source code files, it is convenient to compile and link them together in a single command. This simplifies the compilation process and avoids the need to execute multiple commands.

Explanation: The mpicc -o command can also be used to compile and link a source code file (file.c) in a single command. This eliminates the need to separately compile source code files into object files and then link them.

Example:

mpicc -o executable path/to/file.c

This command takes the file.c source code file located in path/to/ directory, compiles it, and links it to create an executable named executable. The resulting executable will be generated in the same directory.