Programming Language
Computer programming language
can be defined as an act of writing a
program which a computer can
execute to produce the expected or
desired result (output).
Programming language can now be
defined as a sets of rules given to the
computer to perform a given task or
operation.
There are basically three types of
programming language and they are
discussed in details as follows:
1. Machine language: This can be
regarded as the original computer
language. It is made up of
instruction codes written or
documented in binary form (0s and
1s) and because it is documented in
long strings of binary digits (0s and
1s), it is not easy to understand
thereby lead to an advent of Low-
level and High-level language.
2. Low level language: This is also
known as ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE.
It is a program written using symbols
to denote codes. Its codes are more
meaningful and easy to learn. For
this language to be in a computer
readable form, it has to be
translated by a software or
translator called An Assembler.
3. High level language: These
programming languages are
developed with the purpose of
contributing to the solutions of
business or scientific problems and
they allow statements to be made
closer to natural human language
such as English. It is not sensitive to
machine or computer unless it is
translated by translators called
Interpreter or Compiler.
Examples of High level languages
include: BASIC, FORTRAN,
COBOL, VB, JAVA etc.
BASIC – Beginners All-purpose
Symbolic Instruction Code
FORTRAN – Formula Translator
COBOL – Common Business
Oriented Language
VB – Visual BASIC
JAVA – JAVA (Developed by Sun
Microsystems and named after an
island called JAVA)
Benefits of High Level Language
I) Debugging of errors is made easy
II) They are easy to comprehend
because they are closer to human
language
III) They can be transferable from
one computer to the other
IV) It provides the students with an
ability to interact directly with
computer
Disadvantages of High level
language
I) It is less flexible in structure
II) Greater storage capacities and
more running time is needed
compared to the low level and
machine language
