Lecture 01: Introduction to Programming Languages

What are the main Programming Domains

Scientific applications, Business applications, Artificial intelligence, Systems programming, Web Software

What are the main characteristics of Scientific applications

Large numbers of floating point computations; use of arrays

Give an example scientific domain language

Fortran (Formula Translating System, IBM)

What are the main characteristics of Business applications?

Produce reports, use decimal numbers and characters

Give an example of a Business applications language.

COBOL (COmmon Business-Oriented Language)

What are the main characteristics of Artificial intelligence domain languages?

Symbols rather than numbers manipulated; use of linked lists

give an example of an artificial intelligence language

LISP (LISt Processing)

What are the main characteristics of Systems programming languages

Need efficiency because of continuous use

Give an example of a Systems programming language

C

What are the main characteristics of Web Software

Eclectic collection of languages: markup (e.g., HTML), scripting (e.g., PHP), general-purpose (e.g., Java)

What are the main Language Categories by Uses?

Machine languages, Assembly languages, High-level languages, System programming languages, Scripting languages, Domain-specific languages

Describe Machine languages

[1] hardware implemented languages. [2] The set of the instructions of a processor. [3] Machine code is usually written in hexdecimal numbers.

Describe Assembly languages

[1] machine codes are wrapped with alphanumeric symbols so that the instructions are more readable. [2] They also have labeled storage locations, jump targets and subroutine starting addresses.

Describe High-level languages

[1] Machine-independent, similar to natural language.[2] Are usually characterised with variables, types, subroutines, functions, constants[3] complex expressions[4] control structures,(conditionals, switches, loops)[5] composite types (arrays, structs)

What does machine independant mean?

independent of the machine instructions of any particular processors)

Describe System programming languages

[1] deal with: memory and process management, I/O operations, device drivers, operating systems.

Describe Scripting languages

[1] used to write programs in system administration [2] analyse / transform large amounts of regular text info [3] act as“glue”between different apps [4] make simple GUI to control an existing app [5] interpreted not compiled [6] Good string processing

Describe Domain-specific languages

unlike general purpose languages, they are used in highly special-purpose areas only, e.g., PostScript - a language for creating vector graphics for the electronic publishing (Adobe).

What are the major Categories by Paradigms

Procedural, Functional, Logic

Describe Procedural Paradigm

[1] A program is built from one or more procedures (subroutines or functions) [2] Central features are variables, assignment statements, and iteration [3] Include languages that support object-oriented programming [4] Include scripting languages

Give some examples of Procedural languages

C, Java, Perl, JavaScript, Visual BASIC. NET, C++,...

Describe Functional Paradigm

Main means of making computations is by applying functions to given parameters

Give examples of some Functional languages

Haskell, LISP, Scheme, ML (MetaLanguage), F#, etc

Describe Logic paradigms

Rule-based (rules are specified in no particular order)

give an example of logic language

Prolog

What are the categories when organiseng languages by How Tasks are Specified

Imperative languages or Declarative languages

Describe imperative languages

[1] computing tasks are defined as sequences of commands (statements) for the computer to perform. [2] a program in such language tells computer what to do step-by-step (to make the computer change from one state to the next).

Give example of Imperative langauage

procedural languages

Describe Declarative languages

[1] programs describe their desired results without explicitly listing commands or steps that must be performed.

give examples of declarative programming languages

functional and logical programming languages belong to this category.