Class Exercise 2: Programming Fundamentals

By Asghar Khan
1) Why do we need IDE?
ANSWER: Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) are essential for software
development because they:
1. Improve Efficiency: They streamline coding, debugging, and testing processes.
2. Enhance Code Organization: IDEs help manage projects and navigate large codebases.
3. Offer Debugging Tools: They simplify bug detection and fixing.
4. Provide Code Analysis: IDEs spot errors and suggest improvements.
5. Integrate Version Control: Developers can manage code repositories within the IDE.
6. Access Libraries and Frameworks: IDEs ease the use of external resources.
7. Support Cross-Platform Development: Some IDEs are versatile for multi-platform coding.
8. Facilitate Code Collaboration: Real-time collaboration features assist team development.
9. Allow Customization: IDEs often support extensions and plugins.
Overall, IDEs boost developer productivity, code quality, and collaboration while catering to
specific languages and platforms.

2) Briefly explain different phases of C program development.

Answer:
The phases of C program development are:
1. Analysis: Understand the problem.
2. Design: Plan program structure.
3. Coding: Write C code.
4. Compilation: Translate to machine code.
5. Testing: Verify program works.
6. Documentation: Add comments.
7. Version Control: Track changes.
8. Optimization: Improve performance.
9. Deployment: Put in target environment.
10. Maintenance: Update and fix as needed.

3) Differentiate Compiler and Interpreter. As a software developer, Compiler based language is

good for you or Interpreter based language. Justify your answer.
Answer:
Compiler vs. Interpreter:
- Compiler: Translates the entire program into machine code before execution. It generates an
executable file, making the program faster but requires a separate compilation step.
- Interpreter: Translates and executes code line-by-line, no separate compilation. Slower
execution but allows for quick testing and debugging.

Preference as a Developer:
- Interpreter Based Language: Favorable for rapid development, debugging, and dynamic
languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript) where quick iterations matter. Great for prototyping and
scripting.

Interpreter-based languages are often preferred for their agility in development, ease of
debugging, and suitability for tasks that require frequent code modifications or experimentation.