CPE 002A

NOTES

Computer Fundamentals & Programming
LESSON 1
Overview of Programming language:
 What is Programming Language?
 Why are there so many programming
Language?
 What are the types of Programming
Language?
 Does the world need new Languages?
Definition:
A Programming Language is a set of rules that
provides a way of telling a computer what
operations to perform
A Programming Language is a set of rules for
communicating an algorithm. It provides a
linguistic framework for describing computations.
A Programming Language is a notational system
for describing computation in a machine-readable
and human-readable form. A Programming
Language is a tool for developing executable
models for a class of problem domains.
English is a natural language it has words and
symbols and grammatical rules
A Programming Language also has words and
symbols and rules of grammar
The grammatical rules are called
LESSON 1
Each programming language has a different set
of syntax rules.
 Why are there so many programming
Language?
First programming languages
were developed in the 1950s.
Since then, thousands of
languages have been
developed.
Different programming language
are designed for different types
of program.
Levels of Programming Languages
Types of programmed
 Imperative Programming (C)
 Object-Oriented Programming (C++)
 Logic/Declarative Programming (Prolog)
 Functional/ Applicative Programming
(Lisp)
2|Page
 LESSON 1

▪ Operands – that identify

the data to be
Top programming Languages
processed.
C – 20%  Is Machine dependent as it is only
Java – 19% language the computer can
SQL – 11% understand.
C++ - 10%  Very efficient but very difficult to
Facebook Graph API – 8* write.
Excel – 6 % Second Generation Languages
CBS – 6%  Assembly Language;
PHP – 5% ▪ Symbolic operation

JavaScript – 5% codes replaced binary

Ssafaf – 5% operation codes.

Google Analytics – 4%
Difference between high and low level –
Level Programming Language
 Low level languages work more closely
with hardware and do not require a
complier to be executed.
 High level languages are more
understandable for the programmer in
terms of the word in the code.
What are the types of programming
language?
First Generation Languages
 Machine Language;
▪ Operation code – such
as addition or
subtraction.
▪ Assembly language
programs needed to be
“Assembled” for
execution by the
computer. Each
assembly language
instruction is translated
into one machine
language instruction.
▪ Very efficient code and
easier to write.
Third Generation Languages
 Closer to English but included
simple mathematical Notation.
 Programs written in Source
Code which must be translated
into machine language program
called object code.

3|Page

 The translation of source code to
Object Code is accomplished by
a machine language system
program called a Complier.
 Alternative to compilation is
interpretation which is
accomplished by a system
program called an Interpreter.
 Common Third Gen. Languages
▪ Fortran, Cobol, C and
Programming Languages
C++, Visual Basic.
Fourth Generation Languages
 A high-level language (4GL) that
requires fewer instructions to
accomplish a task than a Third
Gen. Language.
 Used with databases
▪ Query Languages
▪ Report Generators
▪ Forms Designers
▪ Application Generators
Fifth Generation Languages
 Declarative Languages
 Functional Lisp, Scheme, & SML
▪ Also called applicative
▪ Everything is a function
▪ Logic: Prolog
▪ Based on Mathematical
Logic
▪ Rule or Constraint
Based.
LESSON 1
Beyond Fifth Gen.
 Though no clear definition at
present, natural language
programs generally can be
interpreted and executed by the
computer with no other action by
the user than stating their
question.
 Limited Capabilities at Present.
 Two broad groups Traditional
programming languages
o Sequences of instructions
o First, second and some third-
generation languages.
 Object-oriented languages
o Objects are created rather than
sequences of instructions
o Some third generation, and
fourth and fifth generation
languages
4|Page
 LESSON 1

Fortran Formula Translation  C++

➢ It is C language with additional
 Developed at IBM in the mid-1950s;
features
designed for scientific and mathematical
➢ Widely used for developing
applications by scientists and engineers.
system and application software
 COBOL
➢ Graphical user interfaces can be
➢ Common Business Oriented
developed easily with visual
Language
programming tools
➢ Developed in 1959
 JAVA
➢ Designed to be common to
➢ An object-oriented language
many different computers
similar to C++ that eliminates
➢ Typically used for business
lots of C++’s problematic
applications
features
 BASIC
➢ Allows a web page developer to
➢ Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic
create programs for applications,
Instruction Code
called applets that can be used
➢ Developed at Dartmouth College
through a browser
in mid 1960s
➢ Objective: JAVA developers is
➢ Developed as a simple language
that it be machine, platform and
for students to write programs
operating system independent.
which they could interact through
 Scripting Languages:
terminals
▪ JavaScript and VBScript
 C
▪ Php and ASP
➢ Developed by Bell Laboratories
▪ Perl and Phyton
in the early 1970s
 Command Languages:
➢ Provides control and efficiency
▪ Sh, csh, bach
of assembly language while
 Text Processing Languages:
having third generation language
▪ LaTex, PostScript
features
➢ Often used for system programs
➢ UNIX is written in C
➢

5|Page
 LESSON 1

 HTML
▪ HyperText Markup language
▪ Used on the Internet and the
World Wide Web (WWW)
▪ Web page developer puts bried
codes called tags in the page to
indicate how the page should be
formatted
 XML
▪ Extensible Markup Language
▪ A language for defining other
languages

Conclusion of Programming Languages:

Programming languages are languages

When it comes to mechanics of the task,
learning to speak and use a
programming language is in many ways
like learning to speak a human language
In both kind of language, you have to
learn new vocabulary, syntax and
semantics (new words, sentence
structure and meaning)
Both kind of language require
considerable practice to make perfect

Conclusion:

 Everyone need a language to tell an

information which is hidden, n such a
way programming is a language which is
used for knowing the hidden information
of computer related programming.

6|Page