4.2 Types of programming languages, translators, IDEs

Question 1

What are the 2 types of programming languages

Answer 1

High-level languages

Low-level languages

Question 2

What are High-level language

how is it executed
knowledge required to write HLL?

Answer 2

programming language that is independent of computer hardware, a program written in a HLL needs to be translated into machine code before it is executed.

No knowledge of hardware and instruction set of computers are required

Question 3

Adv of HLL

Answer 3

• ease of reading and writing code
  – ease of debugging code
  – machine independence

Question 4

Disadv of HLL

Answer 4

Programs are larger
Programs take longer to exec
Incapable of direct manipulation of hardware

Question 5

What is LLL

Answer 5

Low-level languages - a programming language that is dependent on computer hardware

Question 6

Adv of LLL

Answer 6

direct hardware manipulation

can write code that doesn’t take up much space
in primary memory

can write code that performs a task very quickly

Question 7

Disadv of LLL

Answer 7

Takes longer to write and debug programs

Harder to understand

Question 8

What is an assembly language

Answer 8

a form of low-level language that uses mnemonics

Question 9

What is an assembler

Answer 9

a computer program that translates programming code written in assembly language into machine code

Question 10

What is a translator

Answer 10

converts a program written in a high-level language program into machine code

Question 11

What is a compiler

3 characteristics

Answer 11

a computer program that translates a source program written in a high-level language to machine code

An executable file of machine code is produced.
One HLL statement can be translated into several machine code instructions.
Compiled programs are run without the compiler

Question 12

What is an interpreter

3 char

Answer 12

a computer program that analyses and executes a program written in a high-level language line by line

No executable file of machine code is produced
One HLL program statement may require several machine code instructions to be executed.
Interpreted programs cannot be run without the interpreter

Question 13

Compiler vs interpreter vs assembler

what does it do?

Answer 13

Compiler - Translates a high-level language program into machine code
Interpreter - Executes a high-level language program one statement at a time.
Assembler - Translates a low level assembly language program into machine code.

Question 14

Compiler vs interpreter vs assembler

Executable file of machine code?

Answer 14

Compiler - yes
interpreter - no
assembler - yes

Question 15

Compiler vs interpreter vs assembler

How they are translated, what is required, etc

Answer 15

Compiler - One high-level language statement can be translated into several machine code instructions.

interpreter - One high-level language program statement may require several machine code instructions to be executed.

Assembler - One low-level language statement is usually translated into one machine code instruction.

Question 16

Compiler vs interpreter vs assembler

How are programs run

Answer 16

Compiler - Compiled programs are run without the compiler.

Interpreter - Interpreted programs cannot be run without the interpreter

Assembler - Assembled programs are used without the assembler

Question 17

Compiler vs interpreter vs assembler

Where are the programs distributed

Answer 17

A compiled program is usually distributed for general use.

An interpreter is often used when a program is being developed

An assembled program is usually distributed for
general use.

Question 18

Adv and disadv of interpreters

Answer 18

easier to debug
quicker to test
easier to edit

DURING DEVELOPMENT

disadv:
programs cannot be run without the interpreter

programs can take longer to execute

Question 19

Adv and disadv of compiler

Answer 19

adv:
Executed without the compiler
Takes up less space in memory when it is executed
Executed in a shorter time

disadv:
it takes a longer time to write, test and debug programs during development

Question 20

What is an IDE

Answer 20

Integrated Development Environment -
a suite of programs used to write and test a computer program written in a high-level language

Question 21

Features of IDE

Answer 21

» code editors
» a translator
» a runtime environment with a debugger
» error diagnostics
» auto-completion
» auto-correction
» an auto-documenter and prettyprinting

Question 22

What is a code editor (IDE)

Answer 22

A code editor allows a program to be written and edited without the need to use a separate text editor

Question 23

What is a translator (IDE function)

Answer 23

Translators are provided that enable a program to be executed (compiler and/or interpreter)

Question 24

a runtime environment with a debugger (IDE function)

Answer 24

Find errors in a computer program running or tracing the program

Question 25

what is a report window

Answer 25

A separate window in the runtime environment of an IDE that shows the contents of variables during the execution of a program

Question 26

What is auto-correction (IDE function)

Answer 26

Dynamic error checking finds possible errors as the program code is being typed

Question 27

What is auto-completion (IDE function)

Answer 27

offer context-sensitive prompts with text completion for variable names and reserved words.

Question 28

What is pretty-typing (IDE function)

Answer 28

displaying source code using different colours and formatting, which make the code easier to read and understand

Question 29

error reports
compiler vs interpretter

Answer 29

• A compiler provides an error report for the whole
  code if errors are detected
• An interpreter stops execution when an error is
  found