Computer Programming, also known as coding, is the process of writing codes, testing and debugging the program and maintaining the source code of computer softwares which are written in a programming language. (“Computer Programs”) Logic, algorithms and the application domain are the some of the expertise in programming. Computer programming is a craft of transforming requirements into something a machine can operate to produce a desirable output one would like to attain. Within the development of software systems, computer programming is considered as one step in a production by the use of software development. The behavior of programming depends on programmers and their methods of coding, and the different language patterns that yields patterns of thought.
There are early signs of programming way back Hephaestus of the Greek mythology. There are evidences that Automata, the earliest known machine, was made as early of 1206. Another notable machine was the castle clock by Al-Jazari, which has the concept of variables that the operator can manipulate. In 1801, Joseph Marie Jacquard developed the Jacquard Loom using pasteboards with holes that create a pattern for the system. Charles Babbage, one of the premier discoverers of computer programming, used punched cards to operate his Analytical Engine.(“Computer Programming”) The innovation of computer programming pushed through during the Industrial Revolution. In the 1800s, Herman Hollerith created a database that is machine-readable. To process his “Hollerith cards”, he developed a tabulator and key punch machines. These new materials became the “building blocks” of the modern information processing industry.
In the modern world, computer programming requires quality requirements for the program to operate effectively and accurately. The fundamental properties of a final program are efficiency, where it returns the amount of systems resources consumed; reliability that checks the correctness of a program; robustness that anticipates bugs or computer errors; usability or the purpose of the program; portability or the accessibility of hardwares; and the maintainability that makes the programmer fix, edit or improve the source code. Algorithms or step-by-step procedures are classified into orders using Big-Oh notation that expresses the execution time and memory use.(“Computer Programming”) There are different modeling techniques when it comes to programming. One of which is the Unified Modeling Language or UML. It is divided into parts namely classes and inheritance arrows, and each class is divided into subparts: the name, the attributes or characteristics, and the methods or what the class can do. The UML shows an illustration of the relationship among classes in a program. Another modeling technique is the Object-Oriented Analysis and Design or OOAD that uses images and designs to make the program function.
Programmers are people who deal with the creation and maintenance of computer programs and their job usually involves coding, compilation, documentation, integration, testing and specification of softwares. They should acquire logical and analytical abilities and knowledge about the computer world for them to get the job done. Programmers really need to prioritize the needs of people who acquired their service to produce an expected output; all procedures must be followed and bugs or errors must be cleaned out. Programming languages are man-made readable programs that can create new programs depending on what the programmer writes. C is one of the programming languages and the oldest well-known of all programming languages that are mostly found on computers and laptops. Java is another example of a programming language found in all applications like games, systems and internet. Without the programming languages, there will be no technology today and life would be in manual ways.
There are many applications of computer programming depending on the demand and the type of output; can be hardware or software. The most common application of computer programming is in all outputs of technology: cell phones, computers, appliances, automobiles and other modes of transportation, some AI-applied robots, operating systems, and others. Simple calculations can also be applied by programming syntax like computing weight given the inputs, or converting outputs given the formulas. Almost all of the things seen everywhere that are non-living have programs in it and it is made by computer programming. From the discovery of simple manipulation to the innovations of technology today, computer programming is getting wider and wider everyday, and in the near future, all things have the possibilities of being man-made already.
The usage of computer programming is one step in the process of software development.(“Computer Programming”) Debates are conducted on the extent to which syntax coding and maintaining is an art, craft or an engineering discipline. In most ideas, good and usable program techniques are accepted as product of the three fields of knowledge with the objective of producing effective and efficient software and a solution that can improve itself for generations. The concepts of programming are self- governed by the entries which require the processes, and is sometimes defined by very strict environments. Programming languages affect the form of the final program receives, and this idea challenges the probability of defining the world perfectly with these languages. It is because of the commonality that the mechanisms of any language set the thoughts of its speaker community.
Being a computer programmer, it is difficult to remember all the codes, algorithms and structures of program syntax but it really pays off when it is taken seriously and studying about it becomes a daily habit. Many always give up on the programming phase because of the lack of self-initiative, time management, discipline and responsibility which are great factors of being a software analyst. Programming is a fun and admiring hobby to do provided that he will benefit and learn from it, and he can accept failures and successes in a right way. Just enjoy Computer Programming!
List of References:
1. “Computer Programming”, http://en/wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Programming
2. “Computer Programs”, http://www.answers.com/topic/computer-program