What is Programming: Definition and 1000 Discussions

Computer programming is the process of designing and building an executable computer program to accomplish a specific computing result or to perform a specific task. Programming involves tasks such as: analysis, generating algorithms, profiling algorithms' accuracy and resource consumption, and the implementation of algorithms in a chosen programming language (commonly referred to as coding). The source code of a program is written in one or more languages that are intelligible to programmers, rather than machine code, which is directly executed by the central processing unit. The purpose of programming is to find a sequence of instructions that will automate the performance of a task (which can be as complex as an operating system) on a computer, often for solving a given problem. Proficient programming thus often requires expertise in several different subjects, including knowledge of the application domain, specialized algorithms, and formal logic.
Tasks accompanying and related to programming include: testing, debugging, source code maintenance, implementation of build systems, and management of derived artifacts, such as the machine code of computer programs. These might be considered part of the programming process, but often the term software development is used for this larger process with the term programming, implementation, or coding reserved for the actual writing of code. Software engineering combines engineering techniques with software development practices. Reverse engineering is a related process used by designers, analysts and programmers to understand and re-create/re-implement.

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  1. S

    Java Any beginning computer programming course (such as for JAVA.

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  2. P

    New user here, Need direction and help before my end....

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  3. kolleamm

    B Find line slope based on degrees (for video game programming)

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  4. The_Inventor

    C/C++ Creating a simple password program in C++

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  5. A

    [Programming] How would I simulate water pressure?

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  7. ChrisVer

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  8. hilbert2

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  9. jedishrfu

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  10. Illuminatio fit

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  11. ShayanJ

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  12. Const@ntine

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  13. doktorwho

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  16. doktorwho

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  17. T

    Engineering Jobs combining programming with hardware?

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  18. R

    Physics with the help of programming.

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  19. F

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  20. S

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  21. V

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  22. O

    Schools How did you learn/study programming in University

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  23. N

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  24. phinds

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    Programs Physics PhDs with the most programming

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  33. T

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  34. doktorwho

    Python Which of these codes do you think is the simplest

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  35. R

    Why Does MIPS Show a Negative Result for Large Factorials?

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  36. pioneerboy

    Electronics Building an Alarm Clock with Basic C Programming Skills

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  37. doktorwho

    Python Which of these code editors would you recommend?

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  38. Hercuflea

    Revolutionary Changes in Programming: Past, Present and Future

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  39. G

    Programming an OldMaid Card Game python

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  40. S

    Where is my logic wrong in this dynamic programming problem?

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  41. A

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  42. poincare

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  43. A

    I Plotting the orbits of the planets

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  44. M

    Studying Programming Struggles for Physics Majors: Ideas to Cope

    I'm not sure what to do, I keep on struggling with the MATLAB assigments and I'm a physics major. Any ideas on how to cope with this? Didn't really expect to be doing this much programming, and I do not like it.
  45. J

    MHB Compound Interest C programming problem

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  46. Avatrin

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  47. J

    Fortran Problems when averaging a value

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  48. ShayanJ

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  49. J

    Job Skills Applied Physics BS is good for programming jobs?

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  50. D

    Engineering Recommended textbooks based on provided topics (supplementary undergrad texts)

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