Programming languages And Popular Development

Platforms
Program

 A computer is a device that follows the instructions given to it. A well-defined

set of instructions given to the computer is called computer program.
 A computer program is written in programming language.
 A person who develops program is called programmer.

Programming Language

 A programming language is a set of instructions and syntax used to create

software programs.
 A set of words and symbols used to write programs is called programming
language. The programming languages are used to write computer programs.
 A programming language is a means of communication between a user and
computer.
 It is used to write software programs and applications, and to control and
manipulate computer systems.
 One of the most commonly used programming languages include Java,
Python, and C++, JavaScript, and C #.
 The choice of programming language depends on the specific requirements
of a project, including the platform being used, the intended audience, and
the desired outcome.
Basic Terminologies in Programming Languages:
 Algorithm: A step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or performing a
task.
 Variable: A named storage location in memory that holds a value or data.
 For more details https://www.w3schools.com/cpp/cpp_variables.asp
 Data Type: A classification that specifies what type of data a variable can hold,
such as integer, string, or Boolean.
 Function: A self-contained block of code that performs a specific task and can
be called from other parts of the program.
 Control Flow: The order in which statements are executed in a program,
including loops and conditional statements.
 Syntax: The set of rules that govern the structure and format of a programming
language.
 Comment: A piece of text in a program that is ignored by the compiler or
interpreter, used to add notes or explanations to the code.
 Debugging: The process of finding and fixing errors or bugs in a program.
 IDE: Integrated Development Environment, a software application that
provides a comprehensive development environment for coding, debugging,
and testing.
 Operator: A symbol or keyword that represents an action or operation to be
performed on one or more values or variables, such as + (addition), –
(subtraction), * (multiplication), and / (division).
 Statement: A single line or instruction in a program that performs a specific
action or operation.
Types of programming languages
There are two types of computer programming languages.
1. Low-level languages
2. High- level languages
1. Low-level languages
  Low-level language refers to a type of programming language that is closer to
machine code (0s or 1s).
 It is written in a way that allows direct control over the hardware components
(CPU, memory, etc.).
 They include machine language and assembly language, and are used for
system-level programming like operating systems and embedded systems.
Machine Language
 Machine language (also called machine code) is the most basic programming
language, written entirely in binary code (0s and 1s).
 It is the only language that a computer’s CPU can understand and execute
directly without any translation.
 Machine language is a first-generation programming language consisting
entirely of binary digits (0s and 1s).
 It’s almost impossible to read, write, or debug machine code manually.
 That’s why programmers don’t write machine code directly, they use
Assembly or High-Level Languages, which are later converted to machine
code.
 Example code

Assembly language

 Assembly language is a low-level programming language that uses symbolic

names instead of binary codes.
  It is one step above machine language and must be converted into machine
code using a program called an assembler.
 Assembly language allows programmers to write instructions using short
words like MOV, ADD, SUB, instead of using 0s and 1s.
 It's still close to the hardware, but easier to understand than machine language.

2. High-level programming language

 A high-level programming language is a programming language that is easy
for humans to read, write, and understand, using English-like words and
syntax.
 These languages are platform-independent and must be translated into
machine language using a compiler or interpreter.
 Examples are
Language Use Case Example

Python AI, data science, web development, automation

Java Android apps, enterprise software
C++ Game development, operating systems
C# Windows applications, Unity games
JavaScript Web development (front-end and back-end)
PHP Web servers and content management systems
Types of High level languages
TYPE OF LANGUAGE EXAMPLE LANGUAGES MAIN USE

PROCEDURAL C, BASIC, Pascal Algorithms, general programming

OBJECT-ORIENTED (OOP) Java, C++, Python Software development, apps

FUNCTIONAL Lisp, Haskell, Scala Math-heavy, scientific tasks

SCRIPTING Python, JS, PHP Web, automation, quick tasks

LOGIC-BASED Prolog, Mercury AI, logical reasoning

DATABASE/QUERY SQL Managing and accessing databases

MARKUP (SUPPORTING) HTML, XML Web content, data formatting

Difference between High level languages and Low level languages

Feature Low-Level Languages High-Level Languages

Abstraction Low (close to hardware) High (abstracted from hardware)
Examples Machine Language, Assembly Python, Java, C++, JavaScript
Readability Difficult to read and understand Easy to read and understand
Control Over Direct control over hardware Limited control over hardware
Hardware
Translation No translation needed (for machine Needs a compiler or interpreter
code)
Execution Speed Very fast Slower due to abstraction
Development Speed Slower development Faster development
Portability Not portable (machine-specific) Portable across different platforms
Use Cases Operating systems, embedded Web apps, mobile apps, AI, data
systems analysis

Language processors
  Language processors are software tools or programs used to process,
translate, and execute a program written in a high-level or low-level language
into a form that a computer can understand and execute.
 They play a crucial role in converting source code into machine code, enabling
the program to run on the computer.

Types of Language Processors

1. Compiler
 A compiler translates the entire high-level program into machine code
(binary) before execution, producing an executable file.
 The compiler reads the source code, processes it, and generates the equivalent
machine code in one go.
 The compiled program is independent of the source code, and you can run it
multiple times without needing the source code again.
 Example Languages:
o C, C++, Java (compiles code into byte code, which can then be
executed)
2. Interpreter
 An interpreter translates and executes the code line by line, converting high-
level code into machine code at runtime.
 The interpreter directly executes the instructions written in a high-level
programming language. It translates the code one line at a time, then executes
it before moving to the next line.
 Example Languages:
o Python, Ruby, JavaScript
 3. Assembler
 An assembler translates assembly language (a low-level language) into
machine code (binary). Each assembly instruction corresponds directly to a
machine language instruction.
 The assembler reads the assembly code and converts it into machine code,
allowing the CPU to execute it.
 Example Languages:
o Assembly languages (specific to the computer’s architecture)
4. Preprocessor
 A preprocessor performs preliminary operations before the actual compilation
of the source code.
 It typically handles tasks like including header files, defining constants, and
macro expansions.
 It processes directives (e.g., #include or #define in C/C++) and prepares the
code for the compiler.
 Example Languages:
o C, C++ (with #include, #define directives)
Summary of Language Processors
Type of Definition Execution Type Example
Processor Languages
Compiler Translates the entire Converts and compiles the C, C++, Java
program into machine code entire code before
at once execution
Interpreter Translates and executes the Executes the program Python, Ruby,
program line by line immediately, line by line JavaScript
Assembler Converts assembly language Direct translation to Assembly
code into machine code machine code
Preprocessor Handles operations like Processes code before C, C++
macro expansion before actual compilation begins
compilation
Development platforms
 Development platforms refer to the environments that provide the tools,
libraries, frameworks, and services necessary for developing software
applications.
 These platforms enable developers to write, test, and deploy code efficiently.
Types of Development Platforms
Platform Type Purpose Examples Use Cases
IDE Comprehensive Visual Studio, Software
environment for coding, PyCharm, development,
debugging, and testing Eclipse mobile/web apps
Text Editor Lightweight code editor VS Code, Quick development,
for quick scripting Sublime Text, web apps, lightweight
projects
Framework Pre-built tools and libraries Django, React, Web development,
for app development Angular, mobile apps,
Spring enterprise systems
Cloud Platform Cloud-based development, AWS, GCP, Cloud applications,
hosting, and deployment Microsoft machine learning,
Azure scalability
Version Control Track and manage changes Git, SVN, Collaborative coding,
in source code Mercurial team projects
Compiler/Interpreter Translate source code to Python Language-specific
machine code Interpreter development, code
execution
Popular Development Platforms
Platform Type Use Cases
VS Code Text Editor/IDE Web development, scripting, app development
IntelliJ IDEA IDE Java, Kotlin, Android development
Eclipse IDE Java, web, enterprise application development
Xcode IDE iOS/macOS app development
Android Studio IDE Android app development
GitHub Version Control Open-source, team collaboration, version control
GitLab Version Control & CI/CD DevOps, software development, CI/CD
AWS Cloud Platform Cloud hosting, machine learning, big data
Azure Cloud Platform Cloud hosting, enterprise apps, AI