BMS 201

Computer
programming
Introduction
 Program - A precise sequence of steps that computer
obeys in order to solve a given problem or perform a
given task(s)
 Programming language – A special software used to

develop programs and applications

 Examples of programming languages - Basic, COBOL,

FORTRAN, C++, Java, Html, CSS

 Software – A collection of programs together with

their associated documentation

DUTIES OF A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER

 Trains software users within an organization

 Advises the management about software-related

matters
 Maintains updated documentations and records about

the corporate software

 Evaluates and modifies the existing software
 Designs and develops computer programs in a business

organization
 Handle users problem relating to a particular program –

user support
Generations of programming languages
 First Generation – Machine Languages
 Second Generation – Assembly Languages
 Third Generation – Procedural or Problem

Oriented Languages
 Fourth Generation – Non Procedural

Language
 Fifth Generation – Natural Languages
First Generation – Machine Languages
 Used binary numbers to code programs
 1100011001110011011100011001
 Programs were difficult to code and debug
 Programmers were required to memorize

memory codes
 11001 11111 11110 – subtract - sub
 Executed directly without translation
 Programs were machine dependent
Second Generation – Assembly
Languages
 Replaced binary numbers with mnemonics to code
programs
 Mnemonics are symbolic program codes for e.g. SUB

for subtract and ADD for Address

 Programmers were required to memorize memory

codes
 Assemblers translated the programs into machine

language
 Programs were machine dependent
Third Generation – Procedural
Languages
 Greatly revolutionized programming
 Introduced English statements in programming to make

coding easy
 Programs were much easier to write and code since

programmers did not have to memorize memory codes

 Programs were machine independent i.e. could run on

any type of computer

Third Generation – Procedural
Languages
 Introduced library of in built programs so all programs
did not have to be written from scratch
 Used compilers and interpreters to translate the

programs into machine code

 Were procedural requiring precise sequence of steps to

perform tasks
 Classified into business, scientific and multipurpose

languages
Third Generation – Procedural
Languages
 Scientific languages - These are algebraic formula type
designed to meet typical scientific processing requirement
such as mathematical equations, iterative processing, matrix
manipulations etc. They include FORTRAN – Formula
Translator & APL -A programming language.
 Business Oriented languages - are designed to be effective
tools for developing business information systems. They
include COBOL- Common business oriented language & PG
– report program generator.
 Multipurpose languages - are equally effective for both
scientific and business applications. They include BASIC –
Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code , Pascal –
Named after a French mathematician Blaise Pascal & C
Fourth Generation – Non procedural
Languages
 Non procedural - Do not require specific sequence of
steps to perform a given task.
 They are optimized for database manipulation by

requiring programmers to only provide what is to be

done and not how to do it.
 These greatly simplify programming.
 They included languages such as structured query

language SQL, query by example QBE

Fifth Generation – Natural languages
 These are advanced programming languages that are
not constrained by syntax, keywords or specific
programming vocabulary.
 Programmers can develop codes as naturally as

instructing a fellow human being to perform a given

tasks.
 Examples include object oriented languages such as

prolog, Java, C++, Perl, Python

Low level languages
 They are difficult to learn and to program in.
 They are far from human languages therefore difficult

to understand.
 They are fast in execution they need no or minimum

translation.
 They are difficult to modify, maintain and debug.
 They provide facility to write programs at hardware

level.
 They are machine dependent.
 They do not use library of built in codes
High level languages
 High-level languages are easy to learn and program in.
 They are near to human languages hence easy to

understand.
 Programs in high-level languages are slow in execution

they have to be translated into machine language.

 They are easy to modify, maintain and debug.
 High-level languages do not provide much facility at

hardware level.
 These languages are normally used to write application

programs.
 Machine independent
 Incorporate library of inbuilt functions
Types of Programming Languages
 C++
 COBOL
 JAVA
 CSS
 HTML
 VISUAL BASIC
 C
 PYTHON
Excercise
 Choosing any programming modern
languages of your choice describe them
in terms of:-
 History
 Features and Characteristics
 Applications
Choice of programming language
 Type of application - commercial or scientific.
 Facilities required in the application – e.g. speed of

execution
 Availability of the language
 Availability of programmers
 Development costs
 Compatibility of the language
 Maintenance costs