Steps for Developing a 'C' program
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The document outlines the three main stages of developing a C program: 1) Program design which includes problem analysis, outlining structure, algorithm development, and selecting control structures. 2) Program coding which should be readable and avoid complex logic. 3) Program testing which has two stages - human testing like code inspections, and computer-based testing using compilers and detecting run-time errors. The design stage establishes a foundation and strategy for writing the program to solve the problem. Coding then implements the design, and testing identifies any errors before the final program.
Steps for Developing a 'C' program
- 1. STEPS FOR DEVELOPING A ‘C’ PROGRAM. BY SAHITHI NARAPARAJU
- 2. INTRODUCTION • 1) 2) 3) • The program development process in C includes three important stages namely: Program design Program coding and Program testing All the three stages contribute to production of high quality programs
- 3. 1) Program design : • It is a foundation for good program. • Program design basically concerned with development strategy to be used in writing program, in order to achieve solution of a problem. • This includes mapping out a solution procedure and the form the program would take.
- 4. • Program design involves 4 stages namely: i) Problem analysis ii) Outlining the program structure iii) Algorithm development iv) Selection of control structure • Problem analysis: Before we think a solution procedure to a problem, we must fully understand the nature of the problem and what we want the program to do.
- 5. • Outlining the program structure : Once we have decided what we want and what we have, the next step is to decide how to do it. • As a structured language C lends itself to top-down approach. • Top-down approach means decomposing of solution procedure into tasks that form a hierarchical structure. • The essence of top-down approach is to cut the whole program into number of independent constitutent tasks and then cut into smaller subtasks
- 6. • This approach will produce a readable and modular code that can be easily understood and maintained. • It also helps us classify overall functioning of a program in terms of lower- level functions. iii) Algorithm Development: Step by step procedure for each function is known as algorithm. • The most common method of describing an algorithm is through the use of flow charts. • The other method is pseudo code.
- 7. • flow chart represents algorithm pictorially, while pseudo code describe the solution steps in logical order. iv) Control structures: Any algorithm can be structured using three basic control structure namely: a) sequence structure b) selection structure c) looping structure a) Sequence structure: sequence structure denotes the execution of statements sequentially one after another.
- 8. b) Selection structure: selection structure involves a decision , based on a condition and may have 2 or more branches Eg: if else and switch statements. c) Looping structure: looping structure is used when a set of instructions is evaluated repeatedly. Eg: do, while, for statements.
- 9. • 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) A well designed program will provide following benefits: Coding is easy and error-free. Testing is simple. Maintence is easy Good documentation is possible. Cost estimates can be made more accurately. Progress of coding may be controlled more precisely.
- 10. • 2) Program coding : progrm coding should be readable and simple to understand. • Complex logic and tricky coding should be avoided. • The elements of coding include: i) Internal documentation ii) Construction of statements iii) Generality of program iv) Input/Output formats
- 11. 3) Program testing: Testing is the process of reviewing and executing a program with the intent of detecting errors. • The compiler can detect syntactic and semantic errors, it cannot detect run-time and logical errors that show up during execution of program. • Testing should include necessary steps to detect all possible errors in the program. • Testing process may include following 2 stages: i) Human testing and ii) Computer-based testing.
- 12. a) Human testing : It is an effective errordetection Process and is done before the computer based testing begins. • Human testing methods include code inspection by programmer, code inspection by test group and review by peer group. • The test is carried out statement by statement and is analyzed with respect to check list of common programming errors. • In addition to finding errors, the programming style and choice of algorithm are reviewed.
- 13. b) Computer-based testing: computer based testing involves two stages namely: i) Compiler testing and ii) Run-time testing • Compiler testing is the simplest of two and detects undiscovered syntax errors. • The program executes when compiler detects no more errors. • Run-time errors may produce run-time error messages such as “null-pointer assignments” “stack overflow”. • When program is free from all such errors, it produces output.