For example, when a USB device is connected, it automatically runs the USB's firmware. For example, Windows has AutoPlay and AutoRun features that execute files automatically when a certain event happens. In some cases, an EXE file can be triggered passively.

filename would execute the file called filename. For example, in Linux or Unix, the user would type a period and forward slash before the file name, so typing.

In a command-line interface-based OS, users enter the file name in the CLI with the proper syntax and press the Enter key to run the file.

For example, in Microsoft Windows, users can double-click the file to run it.

In a graphical user interface-based operating system (OS), clicking on the file icon or file name opens and runs the file.

The following are two other examples of how executables are triggered: This process is different from system to system. The processor interprets the machine code and tells the computer's hardware what to do.ĮXE files run when they are opened because opening an EXE file triggers it. This low-level code instructs a computer's central processing unit on how to run a program. When a user or other event triggers an executable file, the computer runs the code that the file contains.Įxecutable files contain binary machine code that has been compiled from source code.

How does an EXE file work?ĮXE files are a Windows-specific executable file format. All EXE files are executable files, but not all executable files are EXE files. With Windows, EXE is the file extension for an executable file. They include EXE, BAT, COM, CMD, INF, IPA, OSX, PIF, RUN and WSH. These files are considered to pose a high security risk. Some executable file types can run on any compatible system without requiring the existence of another program. Executable files commonly have an EXE file extension, but there are hundreds of other executable file formats. Ben Lutkevich, Technical Features WriterĪn executable file (EXE file) is a computer file that contains an encoded sequence of instructions that the system can execute directly when the user clicks the file icon.

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