Irrespective of the programming language you want or wish to
learn, first you need to be familiar with the basics of programming. Read
further to learn the foundational details of computer programming.
A computer program is nothing but a set of instructions,
which when executed, give outcome to a certain operation. These set of
instructions need to be written logically, like they should be in a flow, and
before writing the program, you need to decide the flow of the program.
Remember, the computer is a very intelligent machine, but it can do only what
you ask it to do. So the program that you are writing will go wrong, only if
there is something wrong with its set of instructions. Problems arise in
computer programs due to manual errors. Before going into further detail, let
us try to understand the different levels of programming languages.
Machine-Level
Language
At root level, a computer works in bits and bytes. It only
understands binary language, which consists of digits 0 and 1. You may write a
program in whichever language you want, but for the computer to understand and
execute it, it must be converted into the language of 0s and 1s. Writing a
program in machine language, is definitely difficult. It is not possible to
memorize a long string of 0s and 1s for every instruction that needs to be
executed.
Assembly
Language
An assembly language is just one level above low-level
machine language. No doubt, designing a program in assembly language is no easy
task, but still the programming code used is quite understandable. Till date,
many embedded technology programs are designed in assembly language. A computer
program known as the assembler, is used for converting the assembly program
into the corresponding machine-level program.
High-Level
Language
High-level languages are far simpler to understand than
assembly language or machine-level language. There are clear statements for
writing each and every instruction. But the computer will not understand code
written in a high-level language. So a compiler or interpreter program is run
by the computer itself, that converts the programming code into its equivalent
machine language form. However, whatever language you learn, you need to have a
proper understanding of the basics of that language. Without knowing the basics
of a particular language, you cannot write a program in that language. There
are a variety of languages for different purposes. Some are meant for web
programming, some are meant to design simple desktop applications, while some
can do both.
Basic
Steps to Write a Computer Program
Some of the basic factors you need to consider when writing
a computer program are mentioned below.
Plan
and Design the Logic of the Program: Logic is the backbone of your
computer program. What operation needs to be performed, what are the resources
required for the operation, what data needs to be accepted from the user etc.
such questions need to be asked and listed down before starting with the actual
coding process. As a beginner, writing an algorithm and preparing a flow chart
for the program, is a must.
Divide
your Programs into Functions: Almost all computer languages
allow you to write programs such that, the programs are divided into small
blocks or functions. You need to design the functions such that they are
written in the minimum number of instructions and can be reused again and
again.
Use the
Correct Syntax of Commands and Statements: Syntax is to a computer
language as grammar is to a spoken language. Using the wrong grammar can
completely change the meaning of a spoken sentence. Likewise the wrong syntax
will result in programming errors or improper code being executed. Learn the
syntax of each command that you will be using.
Optimize
your Code: This is very important. The less number of instructions in
a program, the faster it executes. Usually we use complicated logic and
statements to get a task done, which ironically, can be performed easily by
using one of the programming language's inbuilt functions. Or a lot of steps
are written, forming long tedious code, when the operation can be performed in
a few steps. Such issues occur mainly because we were not aware that such
functions existed or the program's logic was ill-planned. Get yourself
well-acquainted with the programming language, to prevent writing redundant
code.
Correctly
Name Variables and Functions: The variable names and
functions should be logical. The process of coding becomes simpler, if you use
proper names for the variables and functions that you use in your programming
code. Using absurd or vague variable names won't hamper the functionality of
your program, but when you try to modify or enhance the same code later, you
may find it difficult.
The above information is just the tip of the iceberg, when
it comes to computer programming basics. Along with functions, there are
programming constructs and definitions to consider, which differ from language
to language. The best way to command a programming language, is to keep at it
and not give up, even when it seems hard.
Stay Tuned for more…
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