Programming terms & concepts - Using Java
- 1. Programming Terms & Concepts CIT-111, Intro to Programming: Java
- 2. Overview of Terms: ● Computer Program ● Algorithm ● Machine vs. Programming Languages ● Key Words ● Operators ● Punctuation ● Programmer-Defined Names ● Syntax ● Statement
- 3. Starting Out: ● Computer Program: ○ Instructions given to a computer to complete a task or figure out a problem ○ Note: We really have to spell it out too - Cannot make assumptions the computer will know what you mean. ● Algorithm: ○ The defined steps for performing a task or completing a problem ○ See the video from Khan Academy here ● Being knowledgeable about the two above concepts helps with understanding why and how we work with programming languages.
- 4. Languages ● Machine Language: ○ The broken down code into the base language of the computer ○ Will look like binary, and difficult to read/write for humans ○ One machine’s language may not be the same as another ● Programming Language: ○ Humanized, made so humans could write the directions and then have the computer translate it into machine language ○ Numerous programming languages available for programmers today Many programming languages share the same concepts and frameworks (i.e. a variable is a variable). If you can get these concepts down, it is just a matter of learning the syntax of new languages.
- 5. Writing the Programs: ● Key Words (aka Reserved Words): ○ Words defined by the programming language to have special meaning and use ○ These can not be programmer-defined and programmers must be careful to not use these words as variable names, function names, etc. ● Operators: ○ Symbols or words that perform operations on one or more operands ○ For example: area = length * width, where =, and * are operators ● Punctuation: ○ In many languages, punctuation acts as a means to end statements in the language, or to denote start/ending of things such as arrays, functions, etc.
- 6. Writing the Program: ● Programmer Defined Names (aka identifiers): ○ Programmer created names for elements of a program ○ These elements are often used for storage, repeatable directions so the programmer can call them through the language ○ An example is a variable, which is a means of storing information, where I might say: int total = 500; ■ The term total is made up by me (the programmer) ● Syntax: ○ This is the set of rules that define the programming language and must be followed ○ If not followed, the odds are good your program will begin to output errors and not function correctly
- 7. Writing the Program: ● Statement: ○ Think of these like sentences - it is a complete instruction to have the computer perform an action. ○ Example: ■ System.out.println(“Hello World!”); ○ In Java - Note the semicolon at the end, that is how we know the statement has ended