> When, e.g., Lisp code is compiled, the effect of loading the compiled file is still the same as of the source file: the top-level forms (now in a compiled form) are executed one by one. (What's a "script"? A file with instructions to be run one by one.)
Fun fact: the SBCL implementation of Common Lisp actually adds a shebang to its compiled, binary Lisp files, so you can compile your Lisp script and then execute it from the shell.
I just improved this tonight. If the original program is unsuffixed, and so its hash bang line uses the --lisp option to say "treat this as Lisp source" that option is translated to --compiled, so that if the compiled file is also unsuffixed, it will be properly treated as compiled.
Fun fact: the SBCL implementation of Common Lisp actually adds a shebang to its compiled, binary Lisp files, so you can compile your Lisp script and then execute it from the shell.