Visual Programming Language

What Does Visual Programming Language Mean?

A visual programming language (VPL) is a programming language that uses graphical elements and figures to develop a program.

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A VPL employs techniques to design a software program in two or more dimensions, and includes graphical elements, text, symbols and icons within its programming context.

A visual programming language is also known as an executable graphics language.

Techopedia Explains Visual Programming Language

A visual programming language enables the development of software programs by eliminating textual software code with a series of visual graphics elements. VPL incorporates these graphical elements as the primary context of the language arranged in a systematic order. The graphics or icons included within a visual program serve as input, activities, connections and/or output of the program.

A visual language can be one of a few types, such as icon-based languages, diagramming languages and form-based language. Visual languages should not be confused with GUI-based programming languages, as they only provide graphical program authoring services. However, their code/context is completely textual.

Kodu, Blockly and executable UML are popular examples of visual programming languages.

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Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…