Unit 1.

Elements of Programming y
Languages
Scope
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Basic concepts
1.3. Programming languages
1.4. Syntax and semantics
1.5. Structure of a program
1.6. Errors in a program
1.7. Software engineering

Recommended bibliography

-Muñoz Caro C., Niño A. y Vizcaíno Barceló A.

Introducción a la programación con orientación a objetos.
Capítulo 2. Prentice-Hall, 2002. Reimpresión 2007

Programming Fundamentals I
1.1 Introduction (I)
• Informatics (Computing) definition from ACM/IEEE CC-2005:
– Any activity which implies, takes advantage or develops
computers. It includes:
• Design and development of software systems and
hardware
• Processing and managament of various types of
information
• Development of scientific studies by computer
• Design of intelligent behaviours for computers
• Creation and use of comunicación and entertaiment
media
• Search and retrieval of relevant information for a
concrete goal
• Etc.
• This “definition” and its content is continuously evolving

Programming Fundamentals I 2
 1.1 Introduction (II)
• Division (sub-areas) of this field:

Informática
(Computing)

Computación Ingeniería de Sistemas de Tecnología de Ingeniería del

(Computer Computadores Información la Información Software
Science) (Computer (Information (Information (Software
Engineering) Systems) Technology) Engineering)

Programming Fundamentals I
1.1 Introduction (III)
• Reach of each sub-area:
– Computer Science
• It works many fields from the most theoretical part, like
the algorithmic fundamentals of Informatics, to the last
development in robotics, artificial vision, bioinformatics,
intelligent systems, etc... It is a scientific vision (study
and establishment of the underlying principles on
Informatics and the determination and creation of new
application areas) rather than applied (application and
use of existing technologies).

Programming Fundamentals I 4
1.1 Introduction (IV)
• Reach of each sub-area:
– Computer Engineering
• It is focused on the development of computers and
system based on computer. It involves studying
hardware, software, communication y its interaction.

– Software engineering
• Its goal is to develop and maintain software systems
which work in an efficient y feasible way and whose
development and maintenance is possible satisfying the
custom requirements.

Programming Fundamentals I 5
1.1 Introduction (V)
• Reach of each sub-area:
– Information technology
• It is focused on the application, deployment and configuration
of systems to satisfy the needs of organizations or individuals.
Most of times it is used in a general way as synonym of
Informatics. The focus are mainly applications.

– Information Systems
• It is focused on the application of solutions from information
technologies to business process in order to satisfy the
information processing needs of companies and other
organizations. This sub-area is specialized in information and
processes which generate, process y distribute this
information. This last sentence is close to definitions of
Informatics. In this case the use of solutions as well as the
study of principals referring to computational systems and
organizational needs.

Programming Fundamentals I 6
1.1 Introduction (VI)
• Relationships between sub-areas (the focus of each one is
represented):

CE CS SE IT IS

Hardware Organizational
Software
needs

• As can be seen software (y consequently programming is the

core of Informatics)
Programming Fundamentals I 7
1.2. Basic Concepts (I)
• Hardware:
l Are the physical components of the computer

• Software:
l Is the set of programs by the computer
l Software of the system (Operating system and system tools)

• Applications

l Algorithm:
l Precise description of the necessary steps to solve a problem.

Programming Fundamentals I 8
1.2. Basic Concepts(II)
• Instruction:
l Sequence of symbols which presents an order which is executed
by the computer
• Program:
l Is a set of instructions which defines in a precise way what the
computer should perform.
l A program is written using a programming language
l Example of program:

class Begin{
public static void main(String [ ] args) {
System.out.println ("Hello world");
} // End of main
} // End of class

Programming Fundamentals I 9
1.3 Programming languages (I)
• Depending on the abstraction level
– Machine languages
– Assembly languages
– High-level languages
– Four-generation languages (4GL)

• Depending on the programming style

– Imperative/procedural languages
– Declarative languages
• Functional languages
• Logic languages

• Depending on the translation way

– Compiled languages
– Interpreted languages
– Compiled-interpreted languages
Programming Fundamentals I 10
1.3 Programming languages (II)
• Compiled languages

Source code
(Código fuente)

Compilation process

Object Code
(Código objeto)
Libraries
Linking process
(Biblotecas o
(Enlazado)
librerías)
Binary Code
(Código binario
o ejecutable)

Programming Fundamentals I 11
1.3 Programming languages (III)
• Interpreted languages

Partial
compilation
Source
Execution
Code
1.3 Programming languages (IV)
• Approach followed by Java

Source
Code Java

Compilation

Interpretation
Machine
Bytecode Language

Programming Fundamentals I 13
1.4. Syntax y semantics
• Definition according to María Moliner
– Semantics: Study of the meaning of the linguistics
units
– Syntax: Is the way of linking and ordering words
within a sentence or several sentences

– Semantics: The what

– Syntax: The how

Programming Fundamentals I 14
1.5. Structure of a program (I)
General structure:

Input Processing Output

Three tier architecture (Modelo de arquitectura de tres capas):

Presentation/View Domain/application Persistence

layer layer layer

Efficiency and effectiveness (complexity of algorithms)

Programming Fundamentals I 15
1.5. Structure of a program (II)
Organization

Main
Program

Program Input Task 1 Output

Subtask 1 Subtask 1

Monolithic program

Programming Fundamentals I 16
1.6. Errors in a program
• Types of errors
– Compilation errors
– Runtime errors
– Logic errors

• Detection of errors
– Compilations errors
– Runtime errors
– Logic errors

Programming Fundamentals I 17
 1.7. Software engineering (I)
• The crisis of the software
• Software engineering: “Application of a systematic approach,
disciplined and quantifiable to the development, operation and
maintenance of software”
• Concept of Software Development Cycle Life

Conception of Elimination of
the software Development Operation software
system system due to
obsolescence

Maintenance

Programming Fundamentals I 18
1.7. Software engineering (II)
• Stages of the life cycle
– Analysis
– Design
Development
– Implementation
– Testing

– Maintenance
• Adaptive
• Corrective
• Perfective
• Preventive

Programming Fundamentals I 19