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What Is a Programming Language?
A programming language is a set of rules that allows humans to communicate instructions to a computer. Programming languages have a strict structure and grammar that are referred to as syntax. Each programming language’s syntax specifies how developers should write instructions so a computer can understand and execute them.
Key Takeaways
- Programming languages are tools that professional software developers and citizen developers use to give instructions to computers.
- Each programming language has its own syntax. Syntax is a formal set of rules that defines how valid code is written in a specific programming language.
- Programming languages can be categorized by the way they organize and structure programs.
- They can also be categorized by the way they handle data types and execute code.
- Python is considered to be the easiest computer programming language for beginners to learn because its syntax closely resembles natural language.
Programming Language Paradigms
A programming paradigm is a set of concepts and principles that determine how developers design and organize code.
There are four basic programming language paradigms: procedural, object-oriented, functional, and scripting:
Group step-by-step instructions into procedures or functions. Procedural languages are commonly used for system programming tasks that require a series of actions to be carried out in a specific order of operations.
Combine data and the operations that can be performed on that data into modular units of reusable code called objects. This type of programming language is commonly used for building complex applications and computing systems that need to be maintained over a long period of time.
Prioritize mathematical functions that consistently produce the same output for the same input, functions that call themselves, and functions that take other functions as arguments or return them as results. This programming language is commonly used for data analytics (DA) and other parallel processing tasks that require complex data manipulation.
Designed to handle high-level operations. This type of programming language is commonly used to automate tasks within a specific environment or application, prototype small to medium-sized programs, and connect different system components together.
Programming Language Types
Programming languages can also be characterized by whether they are high-level or low-level languages, how they handle data types, and how they execute code:
Programming Language Features
Different types of programming languages prioritize different features. Procedural languages, for example, prioritize features that support sequential execution, control flow structures, and data structures. In contrast, scripting languages prioritize dynamic typing and other features that support high-level operations like built-in libraries.
When deciding what programming language to use, it can be helpful to consider the following features:
- Syntax
- Memory management
- Support for concurrency
- Error handling
- Built-in libraries
- Platform independence
- Runtime performance
- Extensibility
- Security features
Examples of Programming Languages
If you are new to programming languages and are interested in learning to code, consider one of the following programming languages:
- Python: Widely used in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), web development, data analysis, and scientific computing.
- JavaScript: An important language for web development. It is also used in server-side development environments with platforms like Node.js.
- TypeScript: A superset of JavaScript with additional features to enhance code quality, maintainability, and development efficiency.
- Java: A versatile, object-oriented language used in large-scale enterprise applications, Android app development, and complex systems.
- C: A foundational language commonly used in system programming and embedded systems.
- C++: An extension of C that includes object-oriented features. Widely used in software development, game development, and performance-critical applications.
- C#: Used for building Windows applications, web services, and games.
- PHP: A server-side scripting language designed for websites and web applications.
- Go: Commonly used in distributed systems for developing cloud services.
- Swift: Used for developing applications across iOS and macOS platforms.
- Kotlin: Used for developing Android apps and server-side applications.
The Impact of AI on Programming Languages
AI coding tools are improving the interoperability of computer programming languages by making it possible to automatically convert code between languages. AI is also being integrated into compilers to optimize code for performance more effectively than traditional methods.
In the future, it’s likely that advancements in AI will make programming languages more intuitive and perhaps even enable natural language programming. While this won’t eliminate the need for programming languages, it could empower more people to create software because it won’t be necessary to learn syntax.
Just as high-level languages like Python and JavaScript have abstracted away the complexities of memory management and interaction with the CPU, natural language programming has the potential to abstract away the complexities of understanding specific programming language paradigms.
Programming Language Pros & Cons
The choice of programming language depends on a project’s requirements, developer expertise, and the specific features or trade-offs of each language.
Here are some pros and cons to consider when selecting the right tool for the job:
Pros
- Readability
- Reusability
- Flexibility
- Community support
Cons
- High learning curve
- Narrow specialization
- Poor compatibility
- Error proneness
The Bottom Line
Surprisingly, the precise definition of what constitutes a programming language can still spark lively debate among information technology (IT) professionals. For example, it is often argued that JavaScript and SQL are not really programming languages because they are primarily designed for specific domains and lack the general-purpose nature of languages like Python or Java.
The bottom line is that what qualifies as a programming language often depends on the context, the criteria applied, and who you are talking to. In general, however, it can be argued that if a language can be used to provide a computer with instructions for performing a specific task, and it relies on a compiler or interpreter to produce outcomes, it can be considered a programming language.
FAQs
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References
- What is syntax in a programming language? (Educative)
- TypeScript: JavaScript with syntax for types (Typescriptlang)
- Overview – A tour of C# (Learn Microsoft)
