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As you know, computer does not have intelligence of its own; it simply follows the instructions

given by the user. Instructions are the building blocks of a computer program, and hence a
software. Giving clear instructions is crucial to building a successful program. As a programmer
or software developer, you should get into the habit of writing clear instructions. Here are two
ways to do that.

Expression in a program is a sequence of operators and operands to do an arithmetic or logical


computation. Here are some examples of valid expressions −

Comparing two values


Defining a variable, object or class
Arithmetic calculations using one or more variables
Retrieving data from database
Updating values in database

Writing unambiguous expressions is a skill that must be developed by every programmer. Here
are some points to be kept in mind while writing such expressions −

Evaluation of the expression must give one clear cut result. For example, unary operators should
be used with caution.
Using Clear Instructions https://www.tutorialspoint.com/programming_methodologies/program...

Do not try to achieve many things in a single expression. Break into two or more expressions the
moment things start getting complicated.

It’s not just for computers that you need to write clear instructions. Any one reading the program
later (even you yourself!!) should be able to understand what the instruction is trying to achieve. It
is very common for programmers not to get a hang of their own programs when they revisit it
after some time has passed. This indicates that maintenance and modification of such programs
would be quite difficult.

Writing simple instructions helps in avoiding this problem. Here are some tips to write simple
instructions −

Avoid clever instructions − Clever instructions might not look that clever later if no one is
able to understand it properly.

One instruction per task − Trying to do more than one thing at a time complicates
instructions.

Use standards − Every language has its standards, follow them. Remember you are not
working alone on the project; follow project standards and guidelines for coding.

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