Programming Paradigms
Imperative |
Directly telling the computer what to do via a series of instructins. Procedural and object-oriented programming are both subsets of imperative programming. |
Declarative |
This is where the programmer can "declare" what the solution should look like, and the language will obtain the results without the programmer explicitly telling it how. A common example of this is SQL. |
Procedural |
This is where a program is given a sequence of instructions - a procedure - to solve a problem or perform a task. For example, C and Pascal are both procedural languages. |
Logic |
The language is given a set of facts and rules about what is happening, and the computer can then extrapolate data. If the computer is told that B is the child of A, it would deduce that A is the father of B. An example is Prolog |
Functional |
This is a language that uses functions to obtain and calculate values. For instance, double(4) would return the value 8. Examples of this are C++ or Python. |
Low Level Programming
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Low level code involves working very closely with the physical inner-workings of the computer, for example directly pushing to registers and the accumulator. |
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Low level languages are usually: 1. Difficult for programmers to use since even simple tasks require a lot of code.
2. Used to develop performance-intensive programs or tasks.
3. Very small in terms of file size
4. Usually hard-coded onto ROM chips for small jobs
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Types of Changeover
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Direct Changeover The old system is taken away and the new system is implemented completely overnight. This is risky, since if the new program has errors it could be catastrophic.
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Parallel Running The old system is run alongside the new system for a while. This involves duplicating all the work done on both systems, but if there are errors in the new system then things are not as catastrophic.
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Piloting The new system can be tested out by one branch of the company at a time so that if anything fails, the entire company is not in trouble.
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Phased Changeover Part of the new system is used, then once all the problems have been worked out then another part can be used.
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Types of Documentation
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Technical Manual This would include technical details for use by a programmer. For example it might involve data flow diagrams, flowcharts, variable lists or data dictionaries.
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User Manual This is written for use by the end user. This might involve instructions for starting and installing the program, clerical procedures, how to use the program, or fixes for common errors.
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Object-Oriented Programming
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What is it? Object-Oriented languages are languages which deal with "objects". Objects usually have a set of attributes and methods which are specific to that type. Objects are usually instances of Classes.
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What's a class? A class is a "template" for an object to be generated from. This would outline the member variables(or attributes) and methods for use later in the program.
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What's inheritance? A class can inherit from another class. This is commonly used for creating a very broad definition(e.g, Animal) and then extending it for more specific functionality(e.g Dog). A class which inherits from another class will have all the attributes and methods of the class it inherits from.
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High Level Languages
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High level languages are languages which create a great deal of abstraction between the programmer and the CPU itself. Examples of this are C, Java and Python. |
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High level languages are usually: 1. Easier for humans to understand
2. Problem-oriented
3. Used to develop programs which can run on different processors
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System Life Cycle
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1. Problem Definition State the aims and objectives for the program.
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2. Feasibility Study Determine whether the project is economically/technically viable. This might involve legality, time expense, monetary expense or technological complexity.
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3. Investigation Carry out questionnaires, interviews, observations and study existing documents to determine some of the requirements for the program.
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4. Design Create a detailed design for the new system, involving database modelling, screen designs and map out what processes will need to be carries out on the data.
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5. Development The program is actually created. Alongside this, the program will be tested via either alpha, beta or acceptance testing. Alpha testing is performed by people employed by the company who have not worked on the project. Beta testing involves giving the program to people outside the company for testing. Acceptance testing involves giving the program to the client for feedback.
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6. Implementation/Changeover Changing from the old system to the new system. There are many different approaches to this, such as parallel running, phased changeover, etc.
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7. Maintenance/Review The system is maintained via either adaptive, corrective or perfective maintenance.
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Types of Languages
Event Driven Languages |
These are languages which can wait for an event to occur, such as a key press. When an event occurs it is handled by an event handler. |
Markup Languages |
These are a set of instructions to denote how an item should look, or how data is to be organized. Examples of this include HTML and XML. |
Visual Languages |
A visual language uses graphical representations of code in order to make it more intuitive for inexperienced programmers. An example of this is Scratch |
Polymorphism
Polymorphism is when a single operator(for example, +) has multiple meanings depending on data type. + could mean either integer addition or string contatenation, based on the context its used. |
Encapsulation
Encapsulation involves the usage of "getters" and "setters" in order to prevent things from changing without consequences. |
For example, if the weight of a plane was updated, the fuel per hour would also need to be updated. This would be calculated and set appropriately via a setter. |
Backus Naur Form
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BNF is a standard for writing the rules of syntax in a language. |
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BNF uses three symbols to define syntax: |
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::= "is defined by"
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| "OR"
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< > Define a variable
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An example of this is the following: 1. <digit> ::= 0|1|2|...|9
2. <integer> ::= <digit> | <digit> <integer>
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Types of Maintenance
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Perfective This involves improving the system to run faster or perform better for its intended objective.
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Adaptive If there are changes in the company structure, requirements, etc then the system may need to be adapted to fit the new specification.
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Corrective This involves correcting problems or bugs in the program that were not noticed or fixed during testing.
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Waterfall Approach
See above, also the waterfall approach is gay |
Agile Approach
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The Agile Approach is designed to be a more flexible alternative to the Waterfall Approach. Agile involves working closely with the client. Unfortunately, Agile usually yields less detailed documentation and less specific deadlines than the Waterfall Approach. There are two well known implementations of the Agile Approach. |
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Extreme Programming This emphasizes four areas of the Agile approach which are communication, simplicity, feedback and courage. The developers are frequently given opportunities for regular feedback from other developers and the client. Also, they often program in pairs known as pair programming.
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Scrum Scrum focuses on regular iterations to create prototypes quickly. Scrum usually involves having iterations called "sprints", where at the end of each sprint the team will reconvene and update each other on the progress that has been made.
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Created By
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