Coding and programming are both used to develop digital material. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they still have some crucial differences. Let’s take a closer look at what each of these terms means!
Coding is a process whereby a computer program is created from a source code written by a programmer in an imperative programming language, for example, Java, C, Python, or an object-oriented programming language such as JavaScript. These code segments are compiled and often optimized into executable programs that can be run on computers or mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers.
Programming creates algorithms and computations using programming languages and their associated types, values, control structures, libraries, etc. The difference between the two is that coding is a process, while programming is the act of creating an algorithm.
The essence of programming lies in understanding algorithms. Algorithms can be defined as specific rules for accomplishing a task. This set of rules is described using some logical notation and then transformed into instructions given to the computer so that it can solve the problem.
Coding consists of converting this logical notation or algorithm into instructions given to a computer to get it to perform some tasks. Coding can also be done systematically by following a set of rules.
- Eliminating all the unneeded information by transforming them into abstract data types representing data that is not visible to the computer.
- Replacing each new line with a tab character so that the programmer can easily distinguish statements from other lines.
Programming languages describe the problem, algorithms for solving problems, and data types represent data. The program is then written in these languages, defined as computer code, which is transformed into an actual program that can be executed on the computer. Thus, programming languages are a tool used by programmers to express their thoughts in a form that computers can understand.
Coding is done using what is called pre-processors. These pre-processors include compilers and byte-code interpreters. They are used to compile the code written in a programming language into machine or byte codes executed by the processor. Visit Live Science for more information.
In conclusion, coding can be considered writing a computer program using a programming language. Programming is expressing some ideas in the form of an algorithm or step-by-step instructions for completing a task.