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How To Think Like a Computer Scientist C++ Edition The Pretext Interactive Version

Section 1.7 Glossary

Glossary Glossary

problem-solving.
The process of formulating a problem, finding a solution, and expressing the solution.
high-level language.
A programming language like C++ that is designed to be easy for humans to read and write.
low-level language.
A programming language that is designed to be easy for a computer to execute. Also called “machine language” or “assembly language.”
portability.
A property of a program that can run on more than one kind of computer.
formal language.
Any of the languages people have designed for specific purposes, like representing mathematical ideas or computer programs. All programming languages are formal languages.
natural language.
Any of the languages people speak that have evolved naturally.
interpret.
To execute a program in a high-level language by translating it one line at a time.
compile.
To translate a program in a high-level language into a low-level language, all at once, in preparation for later execution.
source code.
A program in a high-level language, before being compiled.
object code.
The output of the compiler, after translating the program.
executable.
Another name for object code that is ready to be executed.
algorithm.
A general process for solving a category of problems.
bug.
An error in a program.
syntax.
The structure of a program.
semantics.
The meaning of a program.
parse.
To examine a program and analyze the syntactic structure.
syntax error.
An error in a program that makes it impossible to parse (and therefore impossible to compile).
run-time error.
An error in a program that makes it fail at run-time.
logical error.
An error in a program that makes it do something other than what the programmer intended.
debugging.
The process of finding and removing any of the three kinds of errors.

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