Introduction to programming languages

 

Introduction to programming languages 

 Introduction to programs and programming languages concept of program:

A program is a set of instructions given to a computer to perform a specific operation. or computer is a computational device used to process data under the control of a computer program. While executing the program, raw data is processed into the desired output format. Similarly, we do speak different languages the computer also has different languages to communicate with computer hardware or we can say we use different languages to instruct the computer. Languages are developed for their own specified purposes; it has their own beneficiary. So, what is common is that all the languages at the end should be translated into machine or low-level language.

Characteristics of a programming Language :

• A programming language must be simple, easy to learn and use, have good readability, and be human-recognizable.

• Abstraction is a must-have Characteristic for a programming language in which the ability to define the complex structure and then its degree of usability comes.

• A portable programming language is always preferred.

• Programming language’s efficiency must be high so that it can be easily converted into machine code and executed consumes little space in memory.

• A programming language should be well structured and documented to be suitable for application development.

• Necessary tools for the development, debugging, testing, and maintenance of a program must be provided by a programming language.

• A programming language should provide a single environment known as Integrated Development Environment (IDE).

• A programming language must be consistent in terms of syntax and semantics.

Language types:

1. Low level programming language :A low-level language is a type of programming language that contains basic instructions recognized by a computer. Unlike high-level languages used by software developers, low-level code is often cryptic and not human-readable. Two common types of low-level programming languages are assembly language and machine language.

• Machine language:Machine language, or machine code, is the lowest level of computer language. It contains binary code, often generated by compiling high-level source code for a specific processor. Most developers never need to edit or even look at machine code. Only programmers who build software compilers and operating systems need to view machine language.

• Assembly language:Assembly language is one step closer to a high-level language than machine language. It includes commands such as MOV (move), ADD (add), and SUB (subtract). These commands perform basic operations, such as moving values into memory registers and performing calculations. Assembly language can be converted to the machine language using an assembler

1. High level programming language

• A high-level language is any programming language that enables the development of a program in a much more user-friendly programming context and is generally independent of the computer's hardware architecture.

• A high-level language has a higher level of abstraction from the computer and focuses more on the programming logic rather than the underlying hardware components such as memory addressing and register utilization.

• High-level languages are designed to be used by the human operator or the programmer. They are referred to as "closer to humans." In other words, their programming style and context is easier to learn and implement than low-level languages, and the entire code generally focuses on the specific program to be created.

• A high-level language does not require addressing hardware constraints when developing a program. However, every single program written in a high-level language must be interpreted into machine language before being executed by the computer.

•  Python, JavaScript, Visual Basic, Delphi, Perl, PHP, ECMAScript, Ruby, C#, Java

 Program design methodology: Algorithms and flowchart

• Before writing the computer program, it is necessary to design the program; where to be defined how the computer performs the specified task. The program designing task is done using the tools which is called program designing tools. 

• The word Algorithm means “a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations”. Therefore, Algorithm refers to a set of rules/instructions that step-by-step define how a work is to be executed in order to get the expected results.

• A flowchart is a graphical representation of an algorithm. Programmers often use it as a program-planning tool to solve a problem. It makes use of symbols that are connected among them to indicate the flow of information and processing. The process of drawing a flowchart for an algorithm is known as “flowcharting”. 

The phase of SDLC: 

1. Planning and analysis

 This phase is the most fundamental in the SDLC process. Business requirements are compiled and analyzed by a business analyst, domain expert, and project manager. The business analyst interacts with stakeholders to develop the business requirements document. They also write use cases and share this information with the project team. The aim of the requirements analysis is for quality assurance, and technical feasibility, and to identify potential risks to address in order for the software to succeed.

 

2. Designing the product architecture

 During the design phase, lead developers and technical architects create the initial high-level design plan for the software and system. This includes the delivery of requirements used to create the Design Document Specification (DDS). This document details database tables to be added, new transactions to be defined, security processes, as well as hardware and system requirements.

 

3. Developing and coding

In this phase, the database admin creates and imports the necessary data into the database. Programming languages are defined by requirements. Developers create the interface as per the coding guidelines and conduct unit testing. This is an important phase for developers. They need to be open-minded and flexible if any changes are introduced by the business analyst.

 

4. Testing

Testers test the software against the requirements to make sure that the software is solving the needs addressed and outlined during the planning phase. All tests are conducted as functional testing, including unit testing, integration testing, system testing, acceptance testing, and non-functional testing.

5. Maintenance

 

In a post-production, live software environment, the system is in maintenance mode. No matter the number of users, the sophistication of the software and rigorous QA testing, issues will occur. That’s the nature of software with managing data, integration, security, and real-world usage. Access to knowledgeable, reliable support resources is essential, as is routine maintenance and staying up to date on upgrades.

6. Documentation

documentation in software engineering is the umbrella term that encompasses all written documents and materials dealing with software product development. All software development products, whether created by a small team or a large corporation, require some related documentation. And different types of documents are created through the whole software development lifecycle (SDLC). Documentation exists to explain product functionality, unify project-related information, and allow for discussing all significant questions arising between stakeholders and developers.

Assignment:

1. What is the program? why do we require programming language?

2. Mention and explain the program design tools?

3. Write an algorithm and show a flowchart to demonstrate :the program to calculate addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication.

4. Difference between the high-level language and low-level language.

5. Define software? label and explain the software development phase.