Introduction to programming

Computers are machines capable of performing many tasks, are said to be multipurpose and can fulfill the functions of other machines, such as a calculator or a typewriter. However, when the computers are created, they are unable to perform a task by themselves, need a program to follow to accomplish tasks.

The computer programs are like recipes, indicate a number of elements needed to perform the work, followed by a process "of preparation or cooking" and then allow to achieve the desired result. But from a broader perspective, both recipes and computer programs are based on algorithms.

Algorithm Definition

To develop an intuitive definition of algorithm, we can say that an algorithm is the description of the process necessary to perform a task, making it possible to define algorithms for any activity or even for projects taking place in organizations. A formal definition of algorithm would be as follows: An algorithm is a finite and ordered set of steps without ambiguity that perform a particular task.

So to get the computer to complete a new task, it is necessary to give the algorithms for the computer can do it. Now the problem that arises is How to tell the computer what to do. In the early days of computing was necessary to tell the computer what to do every time you need to, at present there is teh concept of stored program, which can be reused as many times as necessary. So that what we should do is write one of these programs stored in our computer so that it can understand it.

Estos programas almacenados hacen parte de aquello que conocemos como software, de hecho, muchas veces nosotros adquirimos software (descargándolo de Internet por ejemplo) para poder utilizar uno o varios programas almacenados que dicho software contiene. Además de estos programas el software contiene otras cosas como documentos o manuales de usuario.

What does the computer understand?

The computer understands a language called machine language, although some computers understand "dialects"or different variants of machine language, there is some level of consistency between the machine language of a computer to another. You have to highlight that as technology advances language machine's computer becomes more rich and extensive. However, the machine language is a coded language so that it is difficult to understand for humans, this limitation makes ineffective any attempt to create a program directly in machine language, except - of course - very short programs and those written by someone skilled in the subject.

For this reason, engineers have developed several computer languages ​​that serve as intermediaries between humans and computers, these languages ​​are easier to understand humans, and then, through a special translator called compiler We translate these languages ​​(also known as programming languages ​​) to machine language so the computer can understand and perform the tasks we have set.

There are many programming languages​​, some obsolete, others have changed over the years have passed. However, the principles on which are based programming languages ​​are the same. One of the most popular programming languages ​​in the world is the language C++, however in this blog, we will focus on the programming language C#.