Cambridge (CIE) O Level Your notes

Computer Science
Types of Programming Language, Translators
& Integrated Development Environments
(IDEs)
Contents
Levels of Programming Languages
Assembly Language
Translators, Compilers & Interpreters
Tools & Facilities in IDEs

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 Levels of Programming Languages
Your notes
What is a programming language?
A programming language acts as a bridge between what humans understand and what
a computer understands
Early computers were complex and instructions would have to be in written in binary
code, 0s and 1s
This process was slow, taking days to program simple tasks
Over time, new generations of programming languages have enabled people to
become faster and more efficient at writing programs as they resemble human
language
Generations of programming languages can be split in to two categories:
Low-level
First generation
Second generation
High-level
Third generation

Low-Level Languages
What is a low-level language?
A low-level language is a programming language that directly translates to machine
code understood by the processor
Low-level languages allow direct control over hardware components such as memory
and registers
These languages are written for specific processors to ensure they embed the correct
machine architecture

First generation
Machine code is a first-generation language
Instructions are directly executable by the processor
Written in binary code

Second generation
Assembly code is a second-generation language
The code is written using mnemonics, abbreviated text commands such as LDA (Load),
STA(Store)

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 Using this language programmers can write human-readable programs that
correspond almost exactly to machine code
Your notes
One assembly language instruction translates to one machine code instruction
Needs to be translated into machine code for the computer to be able to execute it
Advantages Disadvantages

Complete control over the system Difficult to write and understand

Occupy less memory and execute Machine dependent

Direct manipulation of hardware More prone to errors

Knowledge of computer architecture is key to

High-Level Languages
What is a high-level language?
A high-level programming language uses English-like statements to allow users to
program with easy to use code
High-level languages allow for clear debugging and once programs are created they are
easier to maintain
High level languages were needed due to the development of processor speeds and
the increase in memory capacity
One instruction translates into many machine code instructions
Needs to be translated into machine code for the computer to be able to execute it
Examples of high-level languages include:
Python
Java
Basic
C+

Advantages Disadvantages

Easier to read and write The user is not able to directly manipulate the
hardware

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 Easier to debug Needs to be translated to machine code
before running
Your notes
Portable so can be used on any The program may be less efficient
computer

One line of code can perform multiple

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 Assembly Language
Your notes
Assembly Language
What is assembly language?
Assembly language is a second generation, low-level language designed to simplify the
writing of machine code instructions for programmers
Programmers use assembly language for the following reasons:
Need to make use of specific hardware or parts of the hardware
To complete specific machine dependent instructions
To ensure that too much space is not taken up in RAM
To ensure code can completed much faster
Assembly languages allow programmers to program with mnemonics. e.g.
LDA Load - this will ensure a value is added to the accumulator
ADD Addition - this will add the value input or loaded from memory to the value in
the accumulator
STO, Store - stores the value in the accumulator in RAM
Assembly language allowed continuation of working directly with the hardware but
removed an element of complexity
A mnemonic is received by the computer and it is looked up within a specific table
An assembler is needed to check the word so that it can be converted into machine
code
If a match from the word is found e.g. STO the word is replaced with the relevant binary
code to match that sequence

Worked Example
Complete the table to identify whether each example of computer code is High-
level, Assembly language or Machine code

Computer code High-level Assembly Machine code

10110111
00110110
11100110

FOR X = 1 to 10

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PRINT x
NEXT X Your notes
INP X
STA X
LDA Y

[3]
Answer

Computer code High-level Assembly Machine code

10110111 X
00110110
11100110

FOR X = 1 to 10 X
PRINT x
NEXT X

INP X X
STA X
LDA Y

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 Translators, Compilers & Interpreters
Your notes
Translators, Compilers & Interpreters
What is a translator?
A translator is a program that translates program source code into machine code so
that it can executed directly by a processor
Low-level languages such as assembly code are translated using an assembler
High-level languages such as Python are translated using a compiler or interpreter

What is a compiler?
A compiler translates high-level languages into machine code all in one go
Compilers are generally used when a program is finished and has been checked for
syntax errors
Compiled code can be distributed (creates an executable) and run without the need
for translation software
If compiled code contains any errors, after fixing, it will need re-compiling

Advantages Disadvantages

Speed of execution Can be memory intensive

Optimises the code Difficult to debug

Original source code will not be seen Changes mean it must be recompiled

It is designed solely for one specific processor

What is an interpreter?
An interpreter translates high-level languages into machine code one line at a time
Each line is executed after translation and if any errors are found, the process stops
Interpreters are generally used when a program is being written in the development
stage
Interpreted code is more difficult to distribute as translation software is needed for it
to run

Advantages Disadvantages

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Stops when it finds a specific syntax error in Slower execution
the code
Your notes
Easier to debug Every time the program is run it has to be
translated

Require less RAM to process the code Executed as is, no optimisation

Worked Example
A computer program is written in a high-level programming language.
(a) State why the computer needs to translate the code before it is executed.[1]
(b) Either a compiler or an interpreter can translate the code. Describe two
differences between how a compiler and an interpreter would translate the code.[2]
How to answer this question
(a) what time of language does a computer understand?
(b) the keyword is 'how'
Answer
(a)
To convert it to binary/machine code
The processor can only understand machine code
(b)
Compiler translates all the code in one go...
...whereas an interpreter translates one line at a time
Compiler creates an executable...
...whereas an interpreter does not/executes one line at a time
Compiler reports an error at the end...
...whereas an interpreter stops when it finds an error

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 Tools & Facilities in IDEs
Your notes
Tools & Facilities in IDEs
What is an IDE?
An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is software designed to make writing
high-level languages more efficient
IDEs include tools and facilities to make the process of creating/maintaining code
easier, such as:
Editor
Error diagnostics
Run-time environment
Translators

Editor

An editor gives users an environment to write, edit and maintain high-level code
Editors can provide:
Basic code formatting tools - changing the font, size of the font and making text
bold etc
Prettyprint - using colour to make it easier to identify keywords, for example 'print',
'input' and 'if' in Python
Code editing - auto-completion and auto-correction of code, bracket matching
and syntax checks
Commenting code - allows sections of code to be commented out easily to stop it
from being run or as comments on what the program is doing

Error-diagnostics

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 Tools that help to identify, understand and fix errors in code, such as:
Identifying errors - highlight particular areas of code or provide direct error Your notes
messages where the error may have appeared e.g. indentation errors etc
Debugger - provide a 'step through' command which provides step by step
instructions and shows what is happening to the code line by line, useful for finding
logic errors

Run-time environment

Gives users the ability to run and see the corresponding output of a high-level language

Translator
Built in to compile or interpret code without the need for an extra piece of software

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