Section 16.1
High Level Programming
16.1 High And Low Level Languages
16.1.1 Introduction
All computer languages can be classified as high or low level.
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High Level
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Low Level
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BASIC
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Assembly Language
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COBOL
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Pascal
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Java
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C
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Fortran
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Delphi
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16.1.2 Low Level Languages
Their characteristics are:
- They are machine orientated.
- Each statement translates into one machine code instruction.
Uses
- When there is a requirement to manipulate individual bits and bytes.
- When there is a need for very fast executable code.
- When there is a need for code that occupies very little memory.
16.1.3 High Level Languages
Their characteristics are:
- They are not machine orientated (i.e. they are portable).
- They are problem orientated.
- They more closely resemble English and mathematical expressions than
low-level code.
High Level Languages usually contain:
- Selection and iteration structures.
- Built in commands to simplify I/O.
- Built in functions.
- Data structures.
