Programming Language Learning template. There are many different programming languages which are taught in computer science and IT degrees these days. However, not all programming languages are created equal. The ones that are being studied these days may not be the best languages to learn.
Types and Type System. A programming language has both a base, or primary language, as well as its primary syntax. So, JavaScript, a relatively new programming language, is typed-based object-oriented, dynamic, and first class functions programming language. The types of objects in JavaScript, as well as their capabilities, are determined by the types of statements which programmers create and run within the program.
Type System. This is, perhaps, one of the most important features of programming languages. Programmers write and run code by using keywords, type expressions, function declarations, and variable names. When an error occurs, the programmer is able to find and use the correct type for the given syntax tree.
Iglibyst syntax. Iglibyst, or “Ie” stands for” Integrity, or I’m”, which means “integrity” or “correctness”. This type of syntax makes a programming language more readable and less error prone. For example, compare the syntax of the following two statements: var x = [], x.push(y), y; If you were writing the previous sentence, you would expect to only have one occurrence of x, while the following one would be an example of idiomatic usage. In the second example, it is expected to be either the value of y or the sum of both x and y. That is, the syntax of this particular type of syntax is to be used whenever a list of values is required and only when the values are separated by white space or tab characters.
superficial level. One of the benefits of using an existing language (the target language) as a reference point is the superficial level of syntax that you already have learned. This can also come in handy in translating short pieces of prose or documentation into a source file, since you already have the equivalent syntax for the target language. However, it can also have a downside. Since all of the basic rules of grammar are already memorized, the amount of “annotation” errors–i.e., repeating the same thing twice or causing word breakage–is greatly reduced. However, this shallow level of syntax has little practical value in programming unless you are skilled enough to learn the formal grammar of the target language.
Deep level. Several programming languages–C, C++, Objective C, and Java–contained deep syntax structures that are, essentially, dialect-dependent. That is, they have common extensions that, if implemented differently in different languages, can cause some unexpected results in programs. However, most experienced programmers prefer to learn these extensions because they are considered less troublesome than the fundamental syntax of the language.
Deep level syntax trees. Some programming languages have extremely complex syntax trees–including one that resembles a formal model of the grammatical structure of a language, which can greatly reduce the amount of error that a programmer can accumulate over the course of his or her career. On the other hand, such syntax trees can be a source of significant error, especially if they are used in new programming projects that involve the use of advanced grammatical structures or syntactical elements.
Deep level programming languages also have trade-offs. Although they offer more flexibility than other common languages, they place many constraints on the programmer’s ability to think in a deeply structured fashion. For example, a common pattern used in C is to precompute a large number of calls to internal functions, to be computed at each call site. This recompilation overhead can quickly add up, especially in highly-specialized programming environments, and can make it difficult for new programmers to effectively learn the program’s design. For these reasons, some C programmers prefer to learn a different programming language altogether.