Computer programming is perceived as one of the most important tasks in computing. Programmers claim that without them, a system won’t perform the way it should as it will lack the vital programs. You may agree that these are huge claims and wonder the reason for this conclusion.
In this article, we will consider the following:
What is Computer Programming?
Why is Computer Programming needed?
Who are the Programmers?
What is Computer Programming?
Wikipedia defines computer programming as the process of performing a particular computation (or more generally, accomplishing a specific computing result), usually by designing/building an executable computer program.
Another dictionary defines programming as a detailed plan or procedure for solving a problem with a computer. We can all come to a conclusion that both definitions lead to more questions.
In simple terms, Computer programming is the process of giving a computing system sets of instructions. Another word to describe this phenomenon is coding. A system will take these instructions and translate them into its own language to carry out the given task.
Why is Programming Needed?
To illustrate why we need programming, we will imagine a wealthy man who left is homeland in a bid to expand his business. If the man speaks only Spanish and wants to establish a firm in the United States, he’ll have to get a translator who will in turn communicate his desires to the needed parties.
Similarly, coding is needed to give a computing system instructions in a language it understands. As long as technology is involved, the need for programming cannot be overemphasized.
The tech industry relies on coding to create innovative new uses for computers. It is safe to conclude that without programming, fields like machine learning and artificial intelligence will not exist as they depend on it.
Who are the Programmers?
Recall the previous illustration of the merchant. A programmer is needed to give a computer instructions in its language. They create/write programs using one of the many computer languages.
These individuals may give instruction to a system using Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, C, C++, Go , or R. From the previous statement, we deduce that coders must knowledge of at least of these languages.
Computer programmers have the liberty to work independently or for a firm where their job may include the following;
- Writing code
- System concept and design
- System development
- Testing
- Debugging
- Implementation
- Maintenance
Conclusion
It seems the claims mentioned at the beginning of this article are true. What computer programming /coding is and why we need it was one of the many things that was discussed in this write-up. We concluded by explaining who a programmer is.
We also mention some languages that a coder must learn to earn his name. There are many job opportunities for code writers. What are they and what are the prerequisites? These questions will be answered in the guide.
