The kind of software that translates human-readable code into machine code is called a compiler. Compilers analyze high-level programming languages, such as C++, Java, or Python, and convert them into lower-level machine code, making it understandable for the computer's processor. This translation is crucial for executing programs and ensuring that code written in a more accessible language can be run efficiently on hardware. Additionally, compilers often perform optimization processes to enhance performance, making them a vital component of the software development lifecycle.