1.11. GlossaryΒΆ

activecodeΒΆ

A unique interpreter environment that allows Python to be executed from within a web browser.

algorithmΒΆ

A step by step list of instructions that if followed exactly will solve the problem under consideration.

bugΒΆ

An error in a program.

byte codeΒΆ

An intermediate language between source code and object code. Many modern languages first compile source code into byte code and then interpret the byte code with a program called a virtual machine.

codelensΒΆ

An interactive environment that allows the user to control the step by step execution of a Python program

commentΒΆ

Information in a program that is meant for other programmers (or anyone reading the source code) and has no effect on the execution of the program.

compileΒΆ

To translate a program written in a high-level language into a low-level language all at once, in preparation for later execution.

debuggingΒΆ

The process of finding and removing any of the three kinds of programming errors: *syntax error*, *semantic error*, and *runtime error*.

exceptionΒΆ

Another name for a runtime error.

executableΒΆ

Another name for object code that is ready to be executed.

formal languageΒΆ

Any one of the languages that people have designed for specific purposes, such as representing mathematical ideas or computer programs; all programming languages are formal languages.

high-level languageΒΆ

A programming language like Python that is designed to be easy for humans to read and write.

interpretΒΆ

To execute a program in a high-level language by translating it one line at a time.

low-level languageΒΆ

A programming language that is designed to be easy for a computer to execute; also called machine language or assembly language.

natural languageΒΆ

Any one of the languages that people speak that evolved naturally.

object codeΒΆ

The output of the compiler after it translates the program.

parseΒΆ

To examine a program and analyze the syntactic structure.

portabilityΒΆ

A property of a program that can run on more than one kind of computer.

print functionΒΆ

A function used in a program or script that causes the Python interpreter to display a value on its output device.

problem solvingΒΆ

The process of formulating a problem, finding a solution, and expressing the solution.

programΒΆ

A sequence of instructions that specifies to a computer actions and computations to be performed.

programming languageΒΆ

A vocabulary and set of grammatical rules for instructing a computer or computing device to perform specific tasks.

Python shellΒΆ

An interactive user interface to the Python interpreter, and the user of a Python shell types commands at the prompt (>>>), and presses the return key to send these commands immediately to the interpreter for processing. To initiate the Python Shell, the user should open theterminal and type β€œpython”. Once the user presses enter, the Python Shell appears and the user can interact with it.

runtime errorΒΆ

An error that does not occur until the program has started to execute but that prevents the program from continuing.

semantic errorΒΆ

An error in a program that makes it do something other than what the programmer intended.

semanticsΒΆ

The meaning of a program.

shell modeΒΆ

A mode of using Python where expressions can be typed and executed in the command prompt, and the results are shown immediately in the command terminal window. Shell mode is initiated by opening the terminal of your operating system and typing β€œpython”. Press enter and the Python Shell will appear. This is in contrast to source code. Also see the entry under Python shell.

source codeΒΆ

The instructions in a program, stored in a file, in a high-level language before being compiled or interpreted.

syntaxΒΆ

The structure of a program.

syntax errorΒΆ

An error in a program that makes it impossible to parse β€” and therefore impossible to interpret.

tokenΒΆ

One of the basic elements of the syntactic structure of a program, analogous to a word in a natural language.

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