High Level Languages
Definition of Terms
- Program: A sequence of related instructions (commands) that tell the computer how to accomplish a specific task.
- Programming: The act of writing computer programs, performed by trained individuals called programmers.
- Computer Language: Any language used by, or associated with the computer.
- Computer Programming Language: An artificial language used to control the behaviour of a computer, serving as a means of communication between the programmer and the machine.
- Syntax: The set of rules governing how the words and symbols in the language are written (the grammar of the language).
- Semantics: The meaning associated with each word, command, or expression in a particular language.
- High-Level Language (HLL): These are programming languages that are closer to human language (English words, mathematical notation) and are easier to read and write. They are more abstract, user-friendly, and portable across different computer systems.
*Note: Markup languages like HTML are computer languages but are generally not classified as programming languages because they primarily describe structure, not computational logic.*
Examples of High Level Languages
Some prominent examples of HLLs include:
- Python (General purpose, widely used for data science and web development)
- Java (Object-Oriented, used for enterprise systems and Android apps)
- C++ (Object-Oriented, used for game engines and operating systems)
- C (General purpose, used for system programming)
- BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code - easy to learn)
- FORTRAN (Formula Translation - ideal for scientific applications)
- COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language - ideal for business applications)
- PASCAL, PROLOG, ALGOL, APL, RPG
Classification of High Level Languages
High Level Language According to Use
- Scientific/Mathematical: Oriented towards computational procedures for solving mathematical and statistical problems. Examples: FORTRAN, ALGOL.
- Business Data Processing: Emphasize capabilities for maintaining data processing and file handling. Examples: COBOL.
- Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): Program structure is based on 'objects' that contain both data and procedures (methods). Examples: C++, Java, Python.
- General Purpose: Used for a wide variety of programming tasks and applications. Examples: C, PASCAL, Python.
- Special Purpose: Designed for a specific domain or task. Examples: SNOBOL (string manipulation), SQL (database querying).
- Visual Programming: Designed for building graphical user interface (GUI) applications. Examples: Visual Basic, Visual C++.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Used to mimic human intelligence and problem-solving. Examples: Lisp (List processing), Prolog (Program Logic).
High-Level Languages According to the Mode of Execution
- Interpreted: The source code is translated and executed line-by-line by an interpreter without a prior compilation phase. This process is flexible but generally slower. Examples: BASIC, Python, Lisp.
- Compiled Language: The source code is transformed entirely into machine-executable form (object code) by a compiler before the program can run. This results in faster execution. Examples: PASCAL, C, FORTRAN, COBOL.
Features of Some High Level Languages
| High Level Language | Features |
|---|---|
| FORTRAN | 1. Ideal for scientific and engineering applications
2. Uses concise mathematical notation |
| COBOL | 1. Ideal for business and financial applications
2. Very "English-like" syntax (easy to read) |
| BASIC | 1. Interactive and easy for beginners to learn
2. Often interpreted |
| Pascal | 1. Focuses on structured programming concepts
2. Excellent for teaching good programming habits |
| C | 1. Procedural language (uses functions/routines)
2. General purpose, powerful for system-level tasks |
Advantages of High Level Language (HLL)
- User Friendly: They use commands and syntax that resemble human language, making them easier for programmers to understand and use.
- Easier to Learn: Their readability reduces the time and effort required to become proficient.
- Machine Independent: The code can be run on different types of computers (platforms) with minimal or no changes, due to the translation step (compilation/interpretation).
- Requires Less Time to Write: Programmers can write complex instructions with fewer lines of code.
- Easier to Maintain and Debug: The code is structured and readable, making it simpler to find errors (bugs) and update the program later.
Disadvantages of High Level Language (HLL)
- Slower Execution Speed: They are much slower to execute than machine or assembly language because the code must be translated (compiled or interpreted) before the CPU can run it.
- Less Memory Efficient: The generated machine code is often larger and less optimized than hand-written assembly code, making HLLs less efficient in terms of memory usage.
- Requires a Translator: A program cannot run directly on the hardware; it always requires a separate piece of software (Compiler or Interpreter) for translation.
- Less Control over Hardware: HLLs hide the details of the computer's architecture from the programmer, giving them less fine-grained control over low-level hardware operations like memory management and registers.
- Larger Translator Size: The Compiler or Interpreter software needed to run the program can be quite large, requiring significant storage space and memory.
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