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Programming Language

A computer program is a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do. Programming involves writing source code instructions to solve problems. Good programming applies principles of art, craft and engineering to create efficient and maintainable software solutions. Key features of good programs include reliability, meeting user needs, being developed on time and budget, containing few errors, and being maintainable, portable, readable, efficient and robust. The system development cycle typically involves analyzing user needs, designing specifications, programming, and implementing the system for users.

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Abdulmalik Haruna
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62 views

Programming Language

A computer program is a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do. Programming involves writing source code instructions to solve problems. Good programming applies principles of art, craft and engineering to create efficient and maintainable software solutions. Key features of good programs include reliability, meeting user needs, being developed on time and budget, containing few errors, and being maintainable, portable, readable, efficient and robust. The system development cycle typically involves analyzing user needs, designing specifications, programming, and implementing the system for users.

Uploaded by

Abdulmalik Haruna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Concept of programming

A program is a set of instructions that tells the computer what to do. Computer programming (often
shortened to programming or coding), is the process of writing, testing, debugging/troubleshooting
and maintaining act of instructions (source code) for solving a problem with the computer. A source
code is written in an acceptable computer programming language. The code may be a modification
of an existing source or something completely new.

The purpose of programming is to create a program that exhibits a certain described behavior
(customization). The process of writing source code requires expertise in many different subjects,
including knowledge of the application domain. Alternatively. Programming is the craft of
transforming requirements into something that a computer can execute. Problem solving on
computer is a task of expressing the solution to the problem in terms of simple concepts, operations
and computer code (program) to obtain the results. To achieve this aim, you may proceed as
follows.

1. First, understand the problem clearly:- Decide what you want to be calculated by the computer.
What will be the input data required? (if any). This is the problem formulation.
2. Write the steps of computation that are necessary to arrive at the solution. This is setting up
the algorithm.
3. Prepare a flowchart corresponding to the algorithm.
4. Develop the computer program. Test and run it on the computer.

There is an ongoing debate on the extent to which the writing of programs is an art, a craft or an
engineering discipline. Good programming is generally considered to be the measured application
art, craft and engineering, with the goal of producing an efficient and maintainable software
(program) solution. The discipline differs from may other technical professions in that
programmers generally do not need to be licensed or pass any standardized (or governmentally
regulated) certification tests in order to call themselves “ programmers ” or even “ software
engineers”.

Features of a good computer program


1) Reliability
Any developed program for a particular application can be depended upon to do what it is supposed
to accomplish. How often the results of a program are correct. This depends on prevention of
resulting from data conversion and prevention of errors resulting from buffer overflows, underflows
and zero division.

2) Meeting Users Needs:


Any developed system has a purpose for which it is developed. A developed program is a failure if
it cannot meet the objectives for which it is proposed and designed, that is, if the potential users
cannot use it either because it is too complex or too difficult. The usability of an application
analysis involving the user.
3) Development on time within Budgets:
Estimates of time and cost for writing computer programs have frequently been under or over
estimated. The components of a structured disciplined approach to programming are:
I．Proper control and management of time and cost required.
II．Increased programmer productivity
III．More accurate estimates.

4) Error-Free Set of Instruction


Almost all large set of programs contain errors. If a program is designed and developed in a
disciplined structured approach, it minimizes the likelihood of errors and facilitates
detection/correction of such errors during program testing.

5) Error-Resistant Operations:
A good program should be designed in such a way that it can perform validation run on each input
data to determine whether or not they meet the criteria set for them. Eg Reasonableness check,
Existence check, Dependency check, etc.

6) Maintainable Code:
A good program design will always be easy to change or modify when the need arises. Programs
should be written with the maintenance activity in mind. The structure, coding and documentation
of the program should allow another programmer to understand the logic of the program and to
make a change in one part of a program without unknowingly introducing an error in another part
of the same program.

7) Portable Code:
A good program design will be transferable to a different computer having a language translator for
that language without substantial changes or modification

8) Readability:
The program codes will be easy for a programmer to read and understand the logic involved in the
programming.

9) Storage Saving:
A good program design is not to be verbous, that is, it will not be allowed to be unnecessary long,
thereby consuming much storage that will be required for processing data and storage of
information produced from processing.

10) Efficiency:
The amount of system resources a program consumes (processor time, memory space, slow devices,
network bandwidth and to some extent even user interaction), the less the better.

11) Robustness:
How well a program anticipates situations of data type conflict and other incompatibilities that
result in run time errors and program halts. The focus is mainly on user interaction and handling of
12) Usability:
The clarity and intuitiveness of a programs output can make or break it’s success. This involves a
wide range of textual and graphical elements that makes a program easy and comfortable to use.

System Development Cycle


Most IT projects work in cycles. First, the needs of the computer users must be analyzed. This task
is often performed by a professional Systems Analysts who will ask the users exactly what they
would like the system to do, and then draw up plans on how this can be implemented on a real
computer based system.

The programmer will take the specifications from the Systems Analyst and then convert the broad
brushstrokes into actual computer programs. Ideally at this point there should be testing and input
from the users so that what is produced by the programmers is actually what they asked for.
Finally, there is the implementation process during which all users are introduced to the new
systems, which often involves an element of training.

Once the users start using the new system, they will often suggest new improvements and the whole
process is started all over again.
These are methodologies for defining a systems development cycle and often you will see four key
stages, as listed below.

1. Feasibility Study
2. Design
3. Programming
4. Implementation

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