Final answer:
True, an executable file contains the necessary instructions for a computer to run programs and apps. These files have platform-specific extensions like '.exe' for Windows and can be directly executed by a computer's operating system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that an executable file contains the instructions your computer or device needs to run programs and apps is True. Executable files, commonly known by their ".exe" extension on Windows operating systems, act as stand-alone applications that carry out specific functions or run entire programs when executed. These files consist of compiled code that computers can directly execute, without needing further translation or compilation.
Upon running an executable, the computer's operating system understands the encoded instructions and performs the coded operations, rendering the results that could be an application's interface, a utility's functionality, or any other action predefined by the software developer. Aside from Windows, other operating systems use different formats for executable files, such as ‘.app’ on macOS or ‘.bin’ for Unix/Linux based systems.