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UPDATED TO 2023-2025 SYLLABUS

CAIE AS LEVEL
COMPUTER SCIENCE
SUMMARIZED NOTES ON THE THEORY SYLLABUS
Prepared for reja for personal use only.
CAIE AS LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE

Disk Formatter
1. System Software Prepares a hard disk to allow data to be stored on it
Deletes any existing data on disk
Performs formatting, process where computer ‘draws
1.1. Operating System lines’ on disk surface to split it into small areas
Virus checker
Need for OS Checks for and then removes any viruses found
A set of programs designed to run in the background Constantly checks all incoming and outgoing files
on a computer system which Defragmentation Software
Controls operation of computer system Files can be big so have to be stored in multiple
Provides a user interface sectors, which can result in fragmentation (contents
Controls how computer responds to user’s of file scattered across >2 non-contiguous sectors)
requests Fragmentation slows down disk access and thus the
Controls how hardware communicate performance of the entire computer.
Provides an environment in which application Defragmenting software works by physically
software can be executed reorganizing disk contents (files) such that they are
OS hardware is unusable without an OS, as the OS stored in contiguous sectors.
acts as an interface since it controls communication This defragmentation reduces number of movements
between user and hardware of the read/write heads require to access the disk
Key Management Tasks contents, hence increasing computer performance
The defragmentation also creates larger contiguous
(Main) Memory Management free space regions
Memory protection to ensure 2 programs do not try Disk contents analysis/disk repair software
to use same memory space Software utility for visualization of disk space usage
Paging Gets size for each folder and files, and generates a
Use of virtual memory graphical chart showing disk usage distribution
File Management according to folders or other user defined criteria.
Provides file naming conventions Allows disk to report errors (e.g. “bad sector”)
Maintains a directory structure Software will attempt to offer a solution
Allocates space to particular files File Compression
Security Management Reduces file size by removing redundant data in files
Proves usernames & passwords Causes improvements in the computer’s
Ensures data privacy performance by reducing the data that needs to be
Prevents unauthorized access stored
Carries out automatic backup Back-up Software
Hardware (input/output/peripherals) Management Makes copy of files on another storage medium in
Installation of appropriate driver software the event of a hard drive failure, user error, disaster
Controls access to data sent to and from peripherals or accident.
Receives & handles interrupts from hardware devices Should be a regular process
Process Management Can provide synchronization between devices
Enables multiprogramming and multitasking
Resolution of conflicts when 2 or more processes Program Libraries
requires the same resource
E.g. via Round-robin method

Utility Software

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CAIE AS LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE
Compiler Interpreter
Pre-written code that can be linked to a software under Translates a high-level Translates and executes a high-
development without any amendments language program to machine level language program, line-
Can perform common or complex tasks code. by-line.
Takes the form of classes Creates a .exe file which can be
Benefits: No .exe file created.
easily distributed.
Saves time: less code needs to be written Once compiled, .exe file does Execution very slow –
Smaller testing time: pre-tested and used by others not need to be compiled again, translated each time program
Library file is a complex algorithm which the user resulting in faster execution. run.
does not need to understand to use it Reports all errors at the end of Debugging easier/faster, since
Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files compilation: difficult to locate it stops translating when it
Shared library file that contains code and data errors∴ development process reaches an error. This allows
long. real time error correction.
Code saved separately from the main .EXE file,
reducing the .EXE file’s size Only be produced when all Can run program any time,
errors are fixed. even before code finished.
Code only loaded to main memory when required
Used when development is
DDL file can be made available to several applications completed.
Used during development.
simultaneously, thus reducing strain on memory
DLL files act as modules in more complex programs,
making it easier to install and run updates

1.2. Language Translators

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CAIE AS LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE

Two-step translation
Java and some other high level language programs
may require two-step translation, i.e., they will be
partially compiled and partially interpreted
Java code first translated to bytecode by Java
compiler
Bytecode finally interpreted by the Java Virtual
Machine to produce machine code
Integrated Development Environment (IDE) features
Coding
Context-sensitive prompts: Displays choice of
keywords and available identifiers appropriate at
current insertion point and provides choices in
alphabetical order
Highlights undeclared/unassigned variable
identifiers
Initial Error Detection
Dynamic syntax checks: Automatic checking and
highlighting of syntax errors, as soon as line typed
Type checking & parameter checking
Presentation
Prettyprint: Automatic indentation and color-
coding of keywords
Expand and Collapse code blocks: Saves excessive
scrolling if collapsed, and easy to see global
variable declarations and main program body
when collapsed
Debugging
Single stepping: Executes program line-by-line to
see the effect of each statement on variables
Breakpoints: Pauses program at a specific line to
ensure program operates correctly up to that line
Variables/expressions Report Window: Monitors
variables for comparing values.

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CAIE AS Level
Computer Science

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