Programming language: Difference between revisions
imported>Eric M Gearhart (Going to clean up terse wording next) |
imported>Eric M Gearhart (Still pretty terse... but better) |
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A '''programming language''' is a | A '''programming language''' is a list of instructions that a [[programmer]] creates to be run on a [[computer]] (a [[program]]). | ||
Programs written in a programming language typically have to be translated into a code the central processing unit ([[CPU]]) can understand and execute [[machine code]]. The programming language allows the programmer to define [[data structure]]s and combine them with logic applied to them. Generally a computer language reflects the state of development of the hardware and its processing power. | |||
Programming languages can generally be divided into two categories: | Programming languages can generally be divided into two categories: | ||
Revision as of 15:52, 7 April 2007
A programming language is a list of instructions that a programmer creates to be run on a computer (a program).
Programs written in a programming language typically have to be translated into a code the central processing unit (CPU) can understand and execute machine code. The programming language allows the programmer to define data structures and combine them with logic applied to them. Generally a computer language reflects the state of development of the hardware and its processing power.
Programming languages can generally be divided into two categories:
Compiled languages must first be translated by a compiler from human readable source code to an object code. A linker is often applied to this code to assemble it with existing libraries and runtime environments into a form the computer can run.
Interpreted languages rely on an application, the interpreter, that translates the source code into machine code through pre-existing interfaces. For example, an interpreter would read a line such as this: PRINT "Cookies are yummy!" and call the predefined, platform independent function PRINT inside the interpreter itself where the interpreter then executes the platform dependent function call.