Programming Languages, Translators and IDEs

• High-Level Languages

  • Easier to read and understand (the language is closer to human language)
  • Easier to write in a shorter time
  • Easier to debug at the development stage
  • Easier to maintain once in use
• Low-Level Languages

  • Refer to machine code
  • Binary instructions that the computer understands
• Assembly Language

  Few programmers use assembly language to -

  • Make use of special hardware
  • Write code that doesn’t take up much space
  • Write code that runs very quickly
  • Assembly language must be translated into machine code using an assembler to run.
• • Advantages of high-level:
  • independent of the type of computer being used
  • easier to read, write and understand programs
  • quicker to write programs
  • programs are caster and quicker to debug
  • easier to maintain program
  • Disadvantages of high-level:
  • programs can be corocr
  • programs can take longer to execute
  • programs may not be able make use of special hardware
• • Advantages of low-level:
  • can make use of special hardware
  • includes special machine- dependent instructions
  • can write code that doesn't take up much space in primary memory
  • can write code that performs a task very quickly
  • Disadvantages of low-level:
  • it takes a longer time to write and debug programs
  • programs are more difficult to understand
• Compiler

  • Translates a program written in a high-level language into machine code
  • Used without compiler
  • Executable file of machine code produced
  • One high-level language translated into several machine code instructions
  • Used for general use
• Interpreter

  • Executes a high-language program a statement at a time
  • No executable file of machine code produced
  • One high-level language program statement may require several machine code instructions to be executed.
  • Interpreted programs cannot be used without an interpreter
  • Used when the program is being developed
• Assembler

  • Translates a low-level language program into machine code
  • Executable file of machine code produced
  • One low-level language translated into one machine code instructions
  • It can be used without an assembler
  • Used for general use
• IDEs have the following features:

  • Code editor
  • Translator
  • Debugger
  • Error detection
  • Auto-completion
  • Prettyprinting
• Code editor - allow users to write/edit program codes
• Translator - can have both interpreter and compiler to enable the program to be developed and produce the final version
• Debugger - allows the programmer to test line by line to ensure each line of code works as intended
• Error detection - highlighting spelling mistakes or syntax errors and suggesting corrections or automatically correcting the errors
• Auto-completion - code-editors can offer case sensitive prompt for text completion for variable names and reserved words
• Prettyprinting - colour coded specific group words for easy viewing.