> Is the reader's brain like a compiler? No. Compilers are very literal. Readers' brains build an imagined world from the hints given by the author.

Code is mainly to be read by a person. Otherwise there is no reason to keep a copy of the source file after it's been compiled into binary/executable form.

The main difference you pointed out is that for code to be functional it has an additional requirement of having to comply with rigid rules of the programming language, but the "reader" is still human.