.. _program-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.

.. tb-group::
   :name: tab_check

   .. tb-tab:: Q1

      .. tb-match::
         :name: chapter_one_glossary_1

         natural language
            Any of the languages people speak that have evolved naturally.
         high-level language
            A programming language like C++ that is easy for humans to read and write.
         low-level language
            A programming language that is easy for a computer to execute.
         formal language
            Any of the languages people have designed for specific purposes.

   .. tb-tab:: Q2

      .. tb-match::
         :name: chapter_one_glossary_2

         interpret
            To execute a program in a high-level language by translating it one line at a time.
         compile
            To execute a program in a high-level language by translating it all at once.
         source code
            A program in a high-level language, before being compiled.
         object code
            The output of the compiler, after translating the program.

   .. tb-tab:: Q3

      .. tb-match::
         :name: chapter_one_glossary_3

         portability
            A property of a program that can run on more than one kind of computer.
         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.

   .. tb-tab:: Q4

      .. tb-match::
         :name: chapter_one_glossary_4

         problem-solving
            The process of formulating a problem, finding a solution, and expressing the solution.
         syntax
            The structure of a program.
         semantics
            The meaning of a program.
         parse
            To examine a program and analyze the syntactic structure.

   .. tb-tab:: Q5

      .. tb-match::
         :name: chapter_one_glossary_5

         syntax error
            An error in a program that makes it impossible to parse and compile.
         run-time error
            An error in a program that makes it fail upon execution.
         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.