IDEs and Translators

IDEs and Translators

1. High Level Code

   • One instruction represents many machine code instructions.
   • Same code will work for multiple different machines and processors.
   • Programmer can easily store data in many different structures without knowing the memory structure.
   • Code is easy to read, understand and modify.
   • MUST be translated into machine code before a computer can understand it.
   • You have less control over what the CPU will actually do.

2. Low Level Code

   • One instruction of assembly code usually only represents one instruction of machine code
   • Usually written for one type of processor or machine.
   • The programmer needs to know about the internal structure of the CPU and how memory is managed.
   • Code is difficult to read, write and modify.
   • You can control exactly what the CPU does and how it uses memory. This makes it more efficient

3. Translators

   • Interpreter
     • Translates and runs the source code ONE instruction at a time. No executable file is needed.
     • Needed every time you want to run the program.
     • The interpreter will return the first error it finds and stop. This helps with debugging.
     • Programs will run more slowly.
     • Programs will run more slowly because the code is being translate while the program is running.
   • Compiler
     • Translates all of the source code at the same time and creates on executable file.
     • Only needed once to create the executable file.
     • Returns a list of errors for the entire program once compiling is complete.
     • Once compiled the program runs quickly. Compiling can take a long time

4. IDEs

   • A translator (compiler, interpreter or both) which will translate the source code into machine code.
   • A Graphical User Interface builder whcih helps the programmer design a user interface by building it up graphically instead of using source code.
   • Error diognostics and debugging tool help find and fix errors in a program. They tell you the location of the error and suggest how to fix it.
   • Auto documentation