1- preprocessor : replace all include headers and macros and defines. 2- compiler : translate the preprocessed code to assembly instruction code specific to target arch. 3- assembler : translate the assembly instruction to object code to be run at the target. 4- linker : rearrange the code pieces so that a function in some piece of code can see the other in another piece of code , and generates the executable file. 5- loader : load the executable in the process address space in memory and initiate start of executing.