characteristics of high level languages
- independent of hardware
- translated using a compiler or interpreter
- one statement translates into many machine code instructions
- less memory efficient than low level languages
- code is faster to execute
- quicker and easier to understand and write
- programmer has many different data structures to use
characteristics of low level languages
- one instruction translates to one machine code instruction
- code works on one type of processor
- programmer works with memory directly
- code harder to understand and write
- more memory efficient
- code slower to execute
examples of low level languages
assembly code
machine code
What translates assembly code into machine code
An assembler
what is the purpose of a translator
converts high-level code into machine code or binary to enable the code to be run
main feature of a compiler
the whole program is translated before it is run
main feature of an interpreter
program is translated line by line as the program is running
advantages of an interpreter
- easy to write source code as the program will always run, stopping when it finds a syntax error
- code does not need to be recompiled when changed and it is easy to try out commands when the program has paused after finding an error
- is not specific to one type of processor
disadvantages of an interpreter
- translation software is needed at run-time
- slow code execution
- code is not optimised
- source code is not kept secret
advantages of a compiler
- no need for translation software at run time
- quick code execution
- code is optimised
- source code is kept secret
- produces an executable file so the original code does not need to be compiled again
disadvantages of a compiler
- source code is easier to write but the program will run with syntax errors
- code needs to be recompiled when the code is changed
- it is designed for a specific processor
what is an IDE
integrated development software
- software that performs the various stages of software design and implementation in a single integrated system. includes tool that aid a programmer developing code
what are the four aids that IDEs provide
- editor
- error diagnostics
- run-time environment
- translators
what aids does the editor supply
- find and replace all occurrences of text typed in by the user
- auto-indent statements
- auto complete sentences
- colour code key words (if, for)
- formatting source code
explain what is meant by a run time error
an error which will be detected when the program is run (eg. division by 0). it is not a syntax error and may be caused by erroneous use inputs
what aids do error diagnostics supply
- highlights syntax errors
- gives location and description of run time errors
- watch window (displays the value of variables as they change)
- breakpoints can be set
what aids does the run time environment supply
- a separate window opens up to display prompts for the user to enter values and display results
- allows a program to run on a computer, even if it is not designed to run on it (meaning a program can be developed in different systems and still work)
what aid does the IDE provide: translator
the IDE will either use a compiler or interpreter to translate the high level code into machine code
define the term: run time environment
a feature of an IDE that provides a platform to test and run programs
define the term error diagnostics
tools provided by an IDE to give feedback about syntax errors in the source code
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1.1 Systems Architecture31
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1.2 Memory and storage44
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1.3 Computer networks, connections and protocols90
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1.4 Network Security34
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1.5 Systems software30
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1.6 Ethical, Legal and Cultural, and environmental Impacts of digital technology24
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2.1 Algorithms16
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2.2 Programming Fundamentals29
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3rd Year10
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Retest17
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not on flashcards1
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2.3 Key terms18
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2.3 Producing robust programs27
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2.4 Boolean Logic1
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2.5 Programming languages and integrated development environments20
