The way in which words and symbols are put together to form computer code is called:

Source code is the fundamental component of a computer program that is created by a programmer. It can be read and easily understood by a human being. When a programmer types a sequence of C programming language statements into Windows Notepad, for example, and saves the sequence as a text file, the text file is said to contain the source code. 

Source code and object code are sometimes referred to as the "before" and "after" versions of a compiled computer program. For script (noncompiled or interpreted) program languages, such as JavaScript, the terms source code and object code do not apply, since there is only one form of the code.

Programmers can use a text editor, a visual programming tool or an integrated development environment (IDE) such as software development kit (SDK) to create source code. In large program development environments, there are often management systems that help programmers separate and keep track of different states and levels of source code files. 

Licensing of source code

Source code can be proprietary or open, and licensing agreements often reflect this distinction.

When a user installs a software suite like Microsoft Office, for example, the source code is proprietary, and Microsoft only gives the customer access to the software's compiled executables and the associated library files that various executable files require to call program functions.

By comparison, when a user installs Apache OpenOffice, its open source software code can be downloaded and modified. 

Typically, proprietary software vendors like Microsoft don't share source code with customers for two reasons: to protect intellectual property and to prevent the customer from making changes to source code in a way that might break the program or make it more vulnerable to attack. Proprietary software licenses often prohibit any attempt to discover or modify the source code.

Open source software (OSS), on the other hand, is purposely designed with the idea that source code should be made available because the collaborative effort of many developers working to enhance the software can, presumably, help make it more robust and secure. Users can freely take open source code under public licenses, such as the GNU General Public License.

Purposes of source code

Beyond providing the foundation for software creation, source code has other important purposes, as well. For example, skilled users who have access to source code can more easily customize software installations, if needed.

Meanwhile, other developers can use source code to create similar programs for other operating platforms -- a task that would be trickier without the coding instructions.

Access to source code also allows programmers to contribute to their community, either through sharing code for learning purposes or by recycling portions of it for other applications.

Organization of source code

Many different programs exist to create source code. Here is an example of the source code for a Hello World program in C language:

/* Hello World program */

#include<stdio.h>

main() {

printf("Hello World");

In computer programming, computer code refers to the set of instructions, or a system of rules, written in a particular programming language (i.e., the source code).

It is also the term used for the source code after it has been processed by a compiler and made ready to run on the computer (i.e., the object code).

In addition to building computer programs and mobile applications, code is used heavily for innovative concepts such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Of course, there are several other uses and applications for the word code, explained in the next section.

What are some other types of code?

To answer the question, "What is code?" it is important to understand that the term code has a few different meanings, as well as different applications.

Let's take a look at some of those now.

Cryptography code

In cryptography, code is the substitution of one word or phrase by another word, number or symbol for the purpose of concealing the original word or phrase.

This could be used to hide someone's true intention from prying eyes and ears or to designate a military mission such as in World War II when Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union was given the code name of Barbarossa.

Thus, encoding refers to the conversion of data into undecipherable symbols or false names, whereas decoding converts those symbols or the false name back into an understandable form.

Abbreviations or acronyms as code

Abbreviations and acronyms are also referred to as codes in the sense that they are shortened versions of a word, meant to symbolize the full word.

For example, when referencing a state, a reader might see the abbreviation FL and will understand that it is referring to the state of Florida.

Or, in healthcare, a patient that arrives at the hospital that is already deceased would have their medical chart notated with the acronym DOA, which indicates dead on arrival.

Other examples of acronyms include:

  • BASIC for Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code
  • COBOL for Common Business Oriented Language
  • NOW for National Organization for Women
  • WHO for World Health Organization
  • OASIS for Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards

Genetic code

Additionally, in biology, the genetic material that makes up an organism and defines its development is referred to as the genetic code. This is also commonly referred to as DNA, an acronym for deoxyribonucleic acid.

It may sound like science fiction, but researchers have been working on encoding data into the double helix of DNA. This cutting-edge research promises a future storage technology with far higher storage densities (hence capacities) than today's flash, hard disk, optical and tape technologies.

(Editor's note: For the remainder of this definition, when we refer to code, we will be referencing it from the perspective of computer science.)

Coding in computer science

As stated previously, in computer science, code refers to the computer program algorithms, made up of symbols from a source alphabet, that represent the set of rules on what actions the program is expected to perform.

Essentially, it is our human language, translated by a coder, into lines of code that a computer can understand and respond to. It allows programmers to create software programs, operating systems and mobile applications.

Within computer language, specifically, there are a number of ways in which machine code can be used to provoke action or facilitate functionality.

What are the different coding languages?

When writing code, there are a number of different coding languages in use today and each has different benefits and applications they are most commonly used for, such as:

  • PHP. PHP is a general scripting language used heavily in web development.
  • Java. Java is an object-oriented programming language built to have minimal dependencies for implementation and requires compilation. It is heavily used in back-end software
  • JavaScript. JavaScript is an all-text programming language that, unlike Java, can be run on a browser only.
  • Python. Python is another general-purpose programming language designed to emphasize readability.

What is the difference between code and markup language?

As it relates to websites and webpages, markup language also becomes part of machine language as it dictates to the system how a page should be formatted.

It is sometimes confused with or used interchangeably with programming language (or code). But there are some important distinctions to recognize.

The main difference between the two is that markup language is readable by both machines and humans, and, again, it is a set of instructions for how a webpage should be laid out.

Conversely, programming code is the instructions given to a machine to create a computer program. While these two operate in the same universe, they are used for different purposes.

Examples of markup languages include:

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Sequences, selections, and loops

Behind all of the software we use on a daily basis, there's a code being run with all sorts of terms and symbols. Surprisingly, it can often be broken down into three simple programming structures called sequences, selections, and loops. These come together to form the most basic instructions and algorithms for all types of software.

Watch the video below to learn more about sequences, selections, and loops.

A sequence is a series of actions that is completed in a specific order. Action 1 is performed, then Action 2, then Action 3, etc., until all of the actions in the sequence have been carried out.

The way in which words and symbols are put together to form computer code is called:

A sequence we do every day is a morning routine. You might wake up, drink some water, take a shower, eat breakfast, and so on. Everyone's routine is different, but they're all made up of a sequence of various actions.

The way in which words and symbols are put together to form computer code is called:

Selections are a bit different. Instead of following a specific order of events, they ask a question in order to figure out which path to take next.  

The way in which words and symbols are put together to form computer code is called:

Let's say you go to brush your teeth, and you find that you're out of toothpaste. You'd then ask, "Do I have any more toothpaste?" If the answer is no, then you would add it to your shopping list. But if the answer is yes, you would just use the toothpaste. This is really all a selection is doing: answering a question based on what it finds.

The way in which words and symbols are put together to form computer code is called:

The third programming structure is a loop. Like selections, loops ask questions. However, the difference is that they ask the same question over and over and over again, until a certain task is complete.

The way in which words and symbols are put together to form computer code is called:

For example, take the act of hammering a nail. Even though you may not realize it, you're constantly asking yourself, "Is the nail all the way in?" When the answer is no, you hammer the nail again. You continue to repeat this question until the answer is yes, and then you stop. Loops allow programmers to efficiently code repetitive tasks instead of having to write the same actions over and over again.

The way in which words and symbols are put together to form computer code is called:

These three programming structures may seem pretty simple on their own, but when combined they can create some pretty complex software.

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