Bytecode
In plain terms
Portable intermediate code run by a virtual machine.
Going deeper
Bytecode is a compact, platform-independent instruction set produced by compilers and executed by a virtual machine, not the CPU directly. It's a middle layer between source and machine code.
Under the hood
Enables 'compile once, run anywhere'; the JVM and CLR JIT-compile bytecode to native code at runtime.
Examples
Java bytecode (JVM), .NET IL, Python .pyc, WebAssembly, portability.
Think of it like...
Like a universal recipe any kitchen's interpreter can follow, regardless of equipment.