What is the difference between Assembly Language and Machine Language?

Assembly language and machine language are both low-level programming languages used for programming computer systems. However, there are some key differences between the two:

1. Representation: Machine language is a binary code consisting of 0s and 1s, which directly corresponds to the instructions executed by the computer's hardware. On the other hand, assembly language uses mnemonic codes (abbreviations) to represent the machine language instructions in a more human-readable format.

2. Readability: Assembly language is more readable and understandable by humans compared to machine language. It uses symbols, labels, and mnemonics that are easier to comprehend and remember. Machine language, being in binary form, is extremely difficult for humans to interpret and work with directly.

3. Abstraction: Assembly language provides a level of abstraction above machine language. It uses symbolic representations for memory addresses, registers, and instructions, making it easier for programmers to write and understand code. Machine language, being the lowest level of programming, directly deals with the hardware and has no abstractions.

4. Portability: Assembly language is specific to a particular computer architecture or processor. Each processor family has its own assembly language, and code written for one processor may not work on another. Machine language, being the native language of the computer, is also specific to the hardware, but it is more portable than assembly language as it can be executed on any compatible hardware.

5. Programming effort: Writing programs in assembly language requires more effort and expertise compared to machine language. Assembly language requires the programmer to have a deep understanding of the underlying hardware architecture and instruction set. Machine language, being the most basic form of programming, is rarely written directly by programmers and is usually generated by compilers or assemblers.

In summary, assembly language is a human-readable representation of machine language instructions, providing some level of abstraction and ease of programming. Machine language, on the other hand, is the binary code directly executed by the computer's hardware, lacking human readability and portability.