0.2 Introduction to Programming Languages Flashcards
(22 cards)
Computer program
a sequence of instructions that directs a computer to perform certain actions in a specified order
Programming language
language designed to facilitate the writing of instructions for computers
Programming
the act of writing a program
Running/executing a program
a computer performing the actions described by the instructions in a computer program
Hardware
the physical components that make up a computer
CPU
central processing unit, which executes the instructions of a program
Memory
where computer programs are loaded before execution
Interactive devices
parts that allow the user to interact with the computer (keyboard, mouse, monitor, touch screen, etc.)
Storage device
retains information (including installed programs) even when the computer is off
Software
programs on a system that are designed to be executed on hardware
Platform
a compatible set of hardware and software (ex. Mac computer running OS Sequoia) that provides an environment for software to run
Portable program
a program that can be easily transferred from one platform to another
Porting
modifying a program so it can be run on a different platform
Instruction set
the set of all possible machine language instructions a given CPU can understand
Assembly language/assembly
programming language that functions as a more human-readable language
Assembler
program that translates assembly programs into machine language so that the CPU can read it
What are some examples of low-level languages?
machine and assembly languages
What are some examples of high-level languages?
C++, Pascal, Java
What are the two ways high-level languages can be translated to machine language?
compiling and interpreting
Compiler
program/collection of programs that reads the source code of one language and translates it into another language; the result is an executable file that can be distributed to others and launched by the OS
Interpreter
program that directly executes instructions in source code without compiling first
What are three benefits of high-level languages?
-they allow programmers to write programs without knowing much about the platform it will be run on
-their instructions resemble the language and math we use every day
-they include more capabilities of common programming tasks, like manipulating text or requesting a block of memory
