Levels of Language, Translators and IDE

Question 1

What are the 3 types of language a computer uses?

Answer 1

Machine code
Low-level language (Assembly code)
High-level language (Source code)

Question 2

What are the 2 tools used to write and convert the language on a computer?

Answer 2

Translators

IDEs

Question 3

What is machine code?

Answer 3

An instruction that can run inside a CPU and is in binary

Question 4

What is assembly language called?

Answer 4

Low level language because it is almost the same as machine code

Question 5

What is the instruction set of a CPU?

Answer 5

The complete set of commands available. Each type of CPU has its own instruction set

Question 6

What are mnemonics?

Answer 6

The instructions within an assembly language, as they are much easier to remember than a binary number

Question 7

What does assembly language consist of?

Answer 7

A set of mnemonic instructions, each of which has a machine code equivalent

Question 8

Give an example of a machine code, followed by a mnemonic code

Answer 8

Machine Code - 2403

Mnemonic Code - ADD AL,3

Question 9

Why is programming in assembly language difficult?

Answer 9

The programmer needs to know a lot about the hardware details inside the CPU

Question 10

What is the disadvantage with writing in assembly code?

Answer 10

The code only works on a specific CPU family, so if you use a different CPU, you need to rewrite the code using a different version of assembly language

Question 11

What is the main advantage with writing in assembly code?

Answer 11

Programs in Assembly run much faster compared to programs written in a high level language, because there is less code overall

Question 12

Give an example of a program that is typically written in assembly

Answer 12

Device driver, used to directly control hardware such as a graphics card

Question 13

Why were high level languages developed?

Answer 13

In order to make programming a lot easier for people, compared to coding in assembly language

Question 14

What 2 main features does high level language have?

Answer 14

It has a set of keywords such as PRINT or IF

It has a set of grammar rules (syntax) which define how to combine them correctly

Question 15

What does a programmer write in?

Answer 15

Source code (programming code) using the allowed set of keywords and its syntax rules

Question 16

Give 2 examples of high level language code

Answer 16

Python

Java

Question 17

What does machine-independent mean?

Answer 17

Programs written in high level language can be ported to different computers and still run

Question 18

What does source code need to be converted into in order to run on the CPU?

Answer 18

Machine code

Question 19

What piece of software converts source code to machine code?

Answer 19

Translator

Question 20

What are the 3 different types of translator?

Answer 20

Assembler
Compiler
Interpreter

Question 21

What does the assembler do?

Answer 21

It converts assembly code into machine code.

Question 22

What does the complier do?

Answer 22

It converts convert programs written in a high-level language into machine code instructions, and then stores it in an executable file

Question 23

What does the interpreter do?

Answer 23

It converts a single line of high level source code into machine code and then immediately runs it on the CPU

Question 24

How does the complier translate code?

Answer 24

It reads all the source code in one go, examining each keyword and their arguments. It translates those keywords into a set of machine code instructions. The compiler will also check the code for basic syntax errors, and notify the user if it finds any

Question 25

What is the linker?

Answer 25

The software that combines object files

Question 26

What is an object file?

Answer 26

Sometimes a large program is broken down into several software modules. Each module is compiled into an object file which has machine code

Question 27

How does the interpreter translate code?

Answer 27

It translates a single line of source code and then immediately carries out the resulting machine code instructions. Then it reads the next line of source code and does the same. It carries on doing this until the program is terminated

Question 28

Why is the interpreter a bit slower than the complier?

Answer 28

Because of the source code -> translate -> run loop

Question 29

What is the advantage with an interpreter?

Answer 29

It is excellent for developing and testing code as any errors show up immediately

Question 30

What is the disadvantage with an interpreter?

Answer 30

The interpreter must always be present to run the source code. And the source code itself also needs to be available

Question 31

What does IDE stand for?

Answer 31

Integrated Development Environment

Question 32

What does an IDE do?

Answer 32

Brings all the tools necessary for coding into one application. The tools are designed to work seamlessly together

Question 33

What are 8 typical features of an IDE?

Answer 33

``` Editor Project(s) explorer Asset library Runtime Environment Object Viewer Debug tools Translator Output Screen ```

Question 34

What does the editor do?

Answer 34

Help you to write code efficiently and easily with aids such as colour coded highlighting, auto-completion and brace matching

Question 35

What is the project explorer?

Answer 35

A window that shows project files and folders

Question 36

What is the asset library?

Answer 36

A window that lists all the assets such as images, sound, media files in the project

Question 37

What is the runtime environment?

Answer 37

It allows you to build the project from its files, compile it all and then run it as if the code was running on the target CPU

Question 38

What is the object viewer?

Answer 38

Many languages allow you to create 'objects' visually, and these objects have 'attributes' or properties that you can view and alter from this window

Question 39

What are the debug tools?

Answer 39

These allow you to spot and correct programming errors

Question 40

What is the translator?

Answer 40

This is either a built-in compiler or a built-in interpreter depending on the language

Question 41

What is the output screen?

Answer 41

The runtime environment includes an output screen that lets you see what the program is showing to the user as it runs