The object code is the result of the compiler. It contains instructions and tokens, such as source code, but in a compact and optimized (often executable) format. It may also contain other elements, such as debugger symbols. Typically, the object code is processed by the linker, which combines the object code from each compilation unit together to form an executable file (or library, such as a dll). The executable file or library contains machine code that can be executed directly by the processor and is specific to the machine architecture and set of operations.