Computer Language:
- A language is means of communication.
- We use a natural language, such as English, to communicate our ideas and emotions to others.
- Similarly, a computer language is used by a programmer to instruct a computer what he/she wants it to do.
- Computer languages are the languages through which user can communicate with the computer by writing program instructions.
Classification of Computer Language:
- Machine Language
- Assembly Language
- High-Level Language
1. Machine Language:
- A computer programming language consisting of binary instructions which a computer can respond to directly.
- The machine language of the computer is normally written as strings of binary 1s and 0s.
- A machine language instruction normally has a two-part format.
- The first part of an instruction is the operation code, which tells the computer what function to perform.
- The second part is the operand, which tells the computer where to find or store the data of other instructions, which are to be manipulated.
Advantages:
- A computer can easily understand the Machine language.
- Machine language instructions are executed directly without any translation.
- Machine language instructions require very less time for their execution.
Disadvantages:
- Machine language instructions are very difficult to use and understand.
- Machine language instructions are machine dependent, that means a program written for a particular machine does not execute on another machine.
- In Machine language, there is more chance for errors and it is very difficult to find errors, debug and modify.
2. Assembly Language:
- Using alphanumeric mnemonic codes, instead of numeric codes for the instructions in the instruction set.
- E.g. using ADD instead of numeric 1110 or SUB instead of 1111(binary).
- Using storage locations to be represented in the form of alphanumeric addresses, instead of numeric addresses.
- E.g. the memory location 1000,1001,and 1002 may be represented as FRST,SCND and ANSR.
- Instructions written in assembly language is translated by a language translator called Assembler.
Advantages:
- Writing instructions in assembly language is easier than writing instructions in machine language.
- Assembly language is more readable compared to Machine language.
- Easy to understand, find errors and modify.
Disadvantages:
- Assembly language is specific to a particular machine architecture, that means it is machine dependent.
- Assembly language needs to be translated into machine language.
- Assembly level language executes slower compared to machine language.
High-Level Language:
- The High-level language is simple and easy to understand and it is similar to the English language.
- High-level languages have enabled the use of computers to solve problems even by non-expert users. This has allowed many users, without any background in computer science and engineering, to become a computer programmer.
Advantages:
- Writing instructions in the high-level language is much easier.
- High-level language is more readable and understandable.
- The programs created using high-level language runs on different machines with little change or no change.
- Easy to understand, create programs, find errors and modify.
Disadvantages:
- High-level language needs to be translated to machine language.
- High-level language executes slower compared to assembly and machine languages.
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