Programming Evolution

Terminology

• Assembler—translates human-readable mnemonics into machine code
• Assembly language—a processor-dependent language that was the precursor to high-level languages
• Compiler—a program that translates a high-level language into machine code or assembly language
• Low-level language—a processor-dependent language such as assembly language; usually cryptic, hard to read
• High-level language—a human-friendly language, processor-independent; C, C++, Pascal, BASIC, Java, COBOL, FORTRAN
• Machine code—code that can be directly executed by a processor; also called object code
• Source code—code in HLL language

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