Programming Language

Programming Language

1. Instructions for computers are written in programming languages that need to be translated into machine code before the computer can understand them

   • Low Level Languages
     • Machine Language
       • Processors only understand instructions written in 1's and 0's. At the processing level, computer programs are in the form of millions of 1's and 0's. This is known as machine code or machine language. Machine code is a low-level language
     • Assembly Language
       • Assembly Language is a low-level language. Each instruction in assembly language is directly equivalent to one in machine code. Words called mnemonics are used to replace the command represented as strings of 1's and 0's in machine code, e.g. ADD is mnemonic used to replace the binary command to add numbers together
     • use of low level langauges
       • assembly language is often used in the programs used by embedded systems, such as those in cameras, microwaves, and televisions, as it can be used to directly control system hardware
       • they are used to write device drivers and real-time systems where speed is essential
       • assembly language is specific to each type of CPU. programs written for one type cannot be used on others
   • High level language
     • High-level Languages are programming languages that resemble human languages. They use key words such as 'print' 'if' 'then'. High-level Languages address the programming logic rather than dealing with hardware issues such as memory addressing. Most programs are written in High-level Languages
     • use of high level language
       • most software is developed using a high-level language. it is less time consuming to write and quicker to test
       • programs are portable from one machine to another
       • most High-level languages can be used with different types of CPU