Classification of programming languages

Machine code

Machine code is the set of binary instructions that are used by the CPU to perform a task. Machine code is processor dependent.

• Assembly language

Assembly language is a low-level programming language which is processor-dependent; each instruction is one machine operation.

High-level language is a computer programming language based on natural language or mathematical notation.

Examples: C#, Python, Java

Declarative high-level languages are also based on natural language and are used to declare the necessary information to produce the required result.

Examples: SQL, CSS, Prolog

These languages, sometimes known as procedural languages, make use of subroutines and functions to aid readability and hence maintainability.

High-level languages include imperative languages, which is where the program statements or instructions are executed in a sequence or order as defined by the programmer.

Low-level languages are imperative as all instructions are executed in a set sequence; each statement in an imperative high level is translated into numerous machine code statements prior to the execution of the code

• Programming in low-level code can create faster and more efficient code as the programmer controls the performance level of the created code; with high-level programming there is a reliance on the compiler to create optimised code. • Low-level language code is memory efficient due to the lack of abstraction in the code when compared to high level languages.

• It is difficult to learn to program in low-level languages whereas high-level languages have more support and training options. • High-level code can be self-documenting which makes it more understandable and so aids program maintenance and debugging. • Machine-code and assembly programs are specific to a limited range of processors whereas high-level code can be compiled to run on a wide range of processors.