High Level Languages

High Level Languages



Definition of Terms

1. Program: A computer program is a sequence of related instructions (commands) that tell the computer how to accomplish a specific task. A program can also be defined as a set of instructions that are executed by the CPU.
2. Programming: Programming is the act of writing computer program. Computer programs are written by trained and qualified people called programmers.
3. Computer language: Computer language is a language used by, or associated with the computer.
4. Computer Programming Language: A computer programming language is an artificial language that can be used to control the behaviour of a machine, particularly a computer. Programming language is a means through which a programmer communicates with the computer in solving different categories of problems.
5. Syntax Syntax are set of rules governing how the words in the language are written.
6. Semantics These are the meaning associated with each word in a particular language.
Markup languages like HTML are computer languages but they cannot be classified as programming languages.
7. High-Level Language: These are programming languages that allow for programs to be written in forms that are readable to human beings. A high-level language is a programming language that, in comparison to low-level programming languages, maybe more abstract, easier to use, or more portable across platforms.

Example of High Level Languages

PASCAL
BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code)
C ++
Java
FORTRAN (Formula Translation)
COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language)
PROLOG
ALGOL (Algorithmic language)
APL (A Programming Language)
RPG (Report Program Generator)
Python

Classification of High Level Language

High Level Language According to Use

a. Scientific: These languages are oriented towards computational procedures for solving mathematical and statistical problems. Examples are BASIC, FORTRAN, AlGOL, and APL.
b. Business Data Processing: These languages emphasize their capabilities for maintaining data processing procedures and file handling problems. Examples are COBOL and Prolog.
c. Object-Oriented Programming Language: In OOP, the computer program is divided into objects. Examples: C++ and Java
d. General purpose: They are used for general-purpose programming. Examples are: C, PASCAL and PL/I (Programming Language, Version I)
e. Special purpose programming language: This language had a specific purpose for which they are developed. Examples: SNOBOL (String-Oriented Symbolic Language)
f. Visual programming language: These are designed for building window-based applications. Examples are: Visual Basic, Visual Java and Visual C
g. Artificial intelligence: These programming languages are designed to mimic human intelligence. Examples: Lisp (List processing) and Prolog (program Logic)

High-Level Languages According to the Mode of Execution

a. Interpreted
Interpreted languages are read and executed directly with no compilation stage. E.g. BASIC, ASP, Lisp and Logo
b. Compiled Language
Compiled languages are transformed into executable form before running. E.g. PASCAL, COBOL, C, and FORTRAN

Features of Some High Level Languages

High Level Language Features
FORTRAN 1. Ideal for scientific application
2. Uses mathematical notation
COBOL 1. Ideal for business application
2. English like
BASIC 1. Interactive
2. Easy to learn
3. Uses mathematical notation
Pascal 1. Scientifically oriented
2. Focuses on structured programming
C 1. Structured programming
2. General purpose programming
3. Procedural language

Advantages of High Level Language

1. User friendly
2. Easier to learn
3. They are easier to maintain
4. Machine independent
5. Requires less time to write

Disadvantages of High Level Language

1. They are slow to execute as compared to machine language
2. They are not memory efficient

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