In the previous posts, we have gone through several basic concepts about how computers handle data. We learned what files and directories are, how extensions act as labels that tell us the type of file, how compressed files help us deal with large amounts of data, and how storage devices and drives determine where files are actually recorded. Continuing from this flow, let’s now look at how the programs we use every day actually run, and what an executable file (.exe) really is.
Installation Recap
Installing a program is not just extracting compressed files and dropping them anywhere. During installation, the program’s files are unpacked into proper directories and supporting components are placed: library files (e.g., .dll), configuration files (e.g., .ini), icons (e.g., .ico), and more. Together, these pieces form the application.
What Is an Executable (.exe)?
When you run a program, you don’t open each supporting file one by one—you launch the executable with the .exe extension. Think of it as the ignition key: the .exe contains instructions that the operating system reads to load the program and call any required resources.
Without the executable, the program won’t start—no matter how many support files it has. The .exe is the “button that makes the program work.”
Shortcuts vs. Real Executables
Desktop icons you click are usually shortcuts, not the actual .exe. A shortcut is a pointer to the real executable (often located deep under Program Files on the C: drive). Deleting a shortcut doesn’t remove the program; uninstalling it from Settings/Control Panel does.
From Code to .exe
How are executables created? Through coding. Developers write source code (e.g., in C/C++/Rust, etc.), which is compiled into machine code that the CPU can execute. The final artifact we double-click—the .exe—is the packaged result of those instructions.
From a user’s perspective, an executable can feel like a “magic box.” In reality, it’s the end product of lots of logic and computation encoded by the developer.
Wrapping Up
We looked at what an executable is, how it differs from support files and shortcuts, and how coding produces the .exe you run. Up to now we’ve built a foundation—OS, files, drives, directories, extensions, compressed files, installation, and executables—to understand “how a computer works.” Next, we’ll begin exploring coding itself: how we can create our own programs.
You can view the original Korean blog post at the link below