How do the various LaTeX compilers (LaTeX, XeLaTeX, PDFLaTeX, ???) differ in terms of use(s), purpose(s), pros and cons?

Question

How do the various LaTeX compilers (LaTeX, XeLaTeX, PDFLaTeX, ???, ConTeXt, fill-in-the-gap) differ?
Is there an authoritive list of all currently available LaTeX-related compilers?
Which are the most popular, most freq. used compilers?
Why do they exist?
What for are they used?
For which purpose would I choose which compiler?

E.g., I was just reading that using \setmainfont{Arial} would necessitate switching the compiler (from LaTeX to, for instance (?), XeLaTeX). To me as a beginner in search of sense and meaning and orientation, that's mildly confusing: I "only" switch the Font, and I already need to switch to a different compiler. Also, I'd like to be (made) aware of the trade-off involved, and be able to make an informed rather than a random decision...

Thanks!

ps: I'm new to LaTeX, and the following could be applicable:

a case for a "community question" (or "big list")
a duplicate question

though the following questions don't seem to be that general in scope:

Of the above, most are really helpful and worth reading. A slight shame that they're not consolidated into one or two succinct Q&A's: one beginner-friendly, another geared at an experts' bleeding-edge discussion.

Other related, helpful, non-SX link(s):

http://www.tug.org/levels.html, which speaks of five different "levels of TeX":

Engines: TeX, pdfTeX, XeTeX, LuaTeX, … These are the actual executable binaries which implement the different TeX dialects. The LaTeX format is implemented with both the pdfTeX (pdflatex) and XeTeX (xelatex) engines, for example. When someone says “TeX can't find my fonts”, they usually mean an engine.

I note that you want 'general in scope', but that does not necessarily make for a good Q&A. Each of the questions you link to takes a particular aspect, while @texenthusiast is a pretty good question focussed just on the engine. — Joseph Wright, Mar 28 '13 at 16:05
Is this one closest for you ? An overview of TEX, its children and their friends.. or texdoc tex-overview on commandline/terminal for TeXlive distro — texenthusiast, Mar 28 '13 at 16:06
@JosephWright` @texenthusiast Naive question: what's the difference between an engine and a compiler? (Essentially) None? — nutty about natty, Mar 28 '13 at 16:09
@nuttyaboutnatty: There is no compilers in TeX (not the compilers as I understand them), there are engines and macro packages. The over view document is pretty good, you should read it first. — خالد حسني, Mar 28 '13 at 16:23
Yes, it's used synonymously,Things with “TeX” in the name. @KhaledHosny I may be wrong. see The TeX program itself is a macro compiler. — texenthusiast, Mar 28 '13 at 16:25
@KhaledHosny I guess a C++ or Java compiler is a different ballpark, granted. But I often read terms like run, compile(r), build in LaTeX-"context", which I take as converting a *.tex (ASCII or unicode, etc) file to a pdf (or dvi or ps) file. So in the LaTeX-"context", is there a consensus of engine = compiler? — nutty about natty, Mar 28 '13 at 16:28
@texenthusiast Regarding the The differences between TeX engines, is that a somewhat exhaustive/authoritive list? In particular, does it (implicitly ?) include the "LaTeX" compiler? — nutty about natty, Mar 28 '13 at 16:33
@nuttyaboutnatty Formats such as LaTeX and engines such as pdfTeX are not the same thing. You really will need to read over some of the existing material on this: we've covered a lot of this before. — Joseph Wright, Mar 28 '13 at 16:55
@nuttyaboutnatty yes LaTeX is set of macros, it's mentioned in my linked Q & A comments. For an "exhaustive/authoritive list" read thoroughly and patiently LaTeX companion and TeX book. Any "exhaustive/authoritive list" on any topic is beyond the Q & A scope of TeX.SX. With TeXlive/MiKTeX you can read lot of documentation. BTW you have gathered good chunk of Q&A in your Q to read. — texenthusiast, Mar 28 '13 at 17:03
@JosephWright I read a text saying "compile with LaTeX" vs. "compile with XeLaTeX", so I guess that source was wrong... — nutty about natty, Mar 28 '13 at 17:05
@nuttyaboutnatty No, that's how it's often referred to, but 'typeset' is more accurate or less misleading to people from a more 'pure' programming background. — Joseph Wright, Mar 28 '13 at 17:06

How do the various LaTeX compilers (LaTeX, XeLaTeX, PDFLaTeX, ???) differ in terms of use(s), purpose(s), pros and cons?

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