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r/IGCSE Resources | Topical Notes for Cambridg ... SE Computer Science 0478
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Computer
A compiler reads the entire code at once. If it !nds any errors, it will compile an error report
of all the errors and display it to the user. Otherwise, it will run the code and create an

Science
executable !le. They are be"er for when the code is complete, as it creates an executable

!le that can be run easily anywhere.

interpreter Compiler

Subject codes: 0478/0984/2210

● Translates and executes the code ● Translates the whole code at once
line-by-line before executing it, producing an
● Stops execution when an error is executable !le
found ● Provides an error report for the whole
● Are be"er to use while in the code if errors are detected
process of writing code, as it lets you ● Be"er for when the code is

Topical Notes for IGCSE Computer

correct errors as they are made Science
complete, (0478)
as it creates an executable
● Needs to be re-translated each time !le.
it needs to be fun ● Doesn’t need to be re-translated
● The source code is always required each time it needs to be fun, as an
for it to be run exe !le is produced
● The interpreter so#ware is always ● The source code is no longer
needed for code to run required a#er the executable !le is
produced
● The compiler so#ware is no longer
needed a#er the exe !le is produced

Integrated Development Environment

An Integrated Development Environment is an interface where users can write, edit and run

programs easily. An IDE always contains:

● An editor: where code can be wri"en and edited.

● A runtime environment: where the code’s outputs are shown, and user input is

allowed.

r/IGCSE Resources | Topical Notes for Cambridge IGCSE C…

An IDE typically also contains other useful features, such as:

● A compiler or interpreter

● Error diagnostics

● Auto-completion of code

Basic Programming Syntax for IGCSE Computer

● Auto-correction of code
● Pre"yprint, which colour-codes keywords
Science (0478)

© r/IGCSE Resources 2024 39

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The Internet And Its Uses

The Internet and the World Wide Web

The internet is a network of computers joined together through infrastructure such as wires

and cables. It is a type of network that spans the entire world, connecting computers and

enabling them to user/IGCSE

the world wide web.
Resources | Basic Programming Syntax for Cambri…

The world wide web is the collection of websites and web pages accessed using the

internet’s infrastructure. It is primarily so#ware-based, as opposed to hardware

infrastructure.
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Uniform Resource Locator

Websites and webpages on the world wide web must be accessible easily. Uniform

resource locators exist for this purpose. A URL is a text-based address to uniquely identify

a web page. It contains three sections: the protocol, the domain name and the web
page/!le name.
403. That’s an error.

We're sorry, but you do not have access to this document. That’s all we
know.

Web Browsers

A web browser is used mainly for the purpose of rendering hypertext markup language
(HTML) and displaying web pages to the user. It typically has other functions as well, such

as:

● Storing bookmarks and favourites

● Recording user history

● Allowing the user to open multiple tabs

● Storing cookies

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● Providing navigation tools such as a bu"on to reload, go back to the previous/next

page
● Providing an address bar

Retrieval of Web Pages

Other resources
Web pages are stored in web servers. For a web browser to access their HTML, retrieve it

from the server and render it, it !rst requires the web server’s IP address. This address is
ZNotes Computer Science notes - Theory
stored in a domain name server, to which a request must be sent !rst.

ZNotes Computer Science notes - Practical

The steps to retrieving web pages are:
Resources for programming by u/eccentric-Orange
1. The user types the URL of the website into their web browser’s address bar.
Notes by Demogorgon - Notion
2. The web browser sends the URL to a domain name server. The DNS stores IP
addresses of each web server.

Flashcards
3. The DNS searches in its database for the IP address corresponding to the URL sent

by the user. If the IP address is not found in one DNS, it is sent to another DNS until it
Flashcards by u/FewResponsibility660
is found. If the URL’s corresponding IP address is not found at all, an error message is

displayed to the user.

Flashcards by u/whoisxuen04
4. When the DNS !nds the corresponding IP address, it sends it back to the web
browser.

Websites
A#er this, the HyperText Transfer Protocol - HTTP- is executed by the browser to retrieve
Theory of CS - bitsofbytes
web pages from their web server and then render them. The protocol consists of the

following steps:

Other resources
1. The web browser sends a request to the web server asking for the web pages by
Python
using its IP address to locate it.
2. The web server sends back all HTML, CSS and active script (such as JavaScript).
Python online compiler
3. The browser renders the code it receives.

YouTube channels
HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure - HTTPS

Liam
During the transmission McQuay
of data to and from the web server, there is a risk of it being hacked

and stolen. Personal information such as passwords may be intercepted and used for
Raheel Ajani
malicious purposes. The standard HTTP protocol does not protect data being transmi"ed.

So, HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure – HTTPS – is used instead, as it uses digital
Computing Knowledge
certi!cates to ensure security.
James Gan

Mr. Bulmer's Learning Zone

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If you would like to contribute any resources to the community, please kindly message the moderators

here or send us an email to igcseresources.1@gmail.com with links to your resources.

A digital certi!cate is a certi!cate that is awarded to a certain web server as proof of their
authenticity. It shows that the website encrypts all its transmi"ed data. It is awarded by the

certi!cate authority, which is an organisation which checks the authenticity of a website.

Typically, a website ensures encryption using the Secure Socket Layer(SSL) protocol.

The HTTPS protocol secures its data using the following steps:
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shared by users from the r/IGCSE subreddit and Discord server, and have been
1. Before the web browser asks for the web pages, it sends a request to the web server
acknowledged where possible. The website links other than that of our Resource
asking for its digital certi!cate.
Partners included should not be understood to be an endorsement of that
2. If the web server has one, it sends it to the web browser.
website or the site/folder's owners (or their products/services).
3. The browser con!rms if the certi!cate is authentic. If it is, web page transmission

takesThe
place in an encrypted
moderators of manner.
r/IGCSE Otherwise, a message
will be pleased todisplaying
make any thatpossible
the amendments at
website is unsafe is displayed to the user.
the earliest opportunity if requested through email at this address -
Users can check if a website is secure by:
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