Computer language: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Formal language for communicating with a computer}}

A '''computer language''' is a [[formal language]] for humans to [[communication|communicate]] with a [[computer]]; not a [[natural language]]. In earlier days of [[computing]] (before the 1980s), the term was used interchangeably with [[programming language]], but today, used primarily for [[taxonomy]], is a broader term that encompasses programming language as well as other languages that are arguably not programming in nature. Sub-categories (with possibly contended hierarchical relationships) include:

* [[software construction|Construction]]

A '''computer language''' is a [[formal language]] for humans to [[communication|communicate]] with a [[computer]]; not a [[natural language]]. In earlier days of [[computing]] (before the 1980s), the term was used interchangeably with [[programming language]], but today is a broader term that encompasses programming language as well as other languages that are arguably not programming in nature. Sub-categories include:

** [[Programming language|Programming]] – for controlling computer behavior

*** [[Command language|Command]] – for controlling the tasks of a computer, such as starting programs

* [[Software construction#Construction languages|Construction language]] – all forms of communication by which a human can [[Computer programming|specify an executable problem solution to a computer]]

*** [[CommandQuery language|Query]] – for controlling[[Information theretrieval|querying]] tasks[[databases]] ofand a[[information computer, such as starting programssystems]]

*** [[Transformation language|Transformation]] – for transforming the text of a formal language into text that meets a specific goal

** [[Configuration file#Configuration languages|Configuration language]] – for writing [[configuration files]]

** Structural

** [[Programming language]] – for communicating instructions to a machine, particularly a computer

*** [[Configuration file#Configuration languages|Configuration language]] – for writing [[configuration files]]

** [[Query language]] – for making [[Information retrieval|queries]] in [[databases]] and [[information systems]]

*** [[Data_exchange#Data_exchange_languages|Data exchange language]] – ___domain-independent language for data exchange; examples: [[JSON]], [[XML]]

** [[Transformation language]] – for transforming the text of a formal language into text that meets a specific goal

*** [[Markup language|Markup]] – for annotating a document in a way that is syntactically distinguishable from the text, such as [[HTML]]

* [[Data_exchange#Data_exchange_languages|Data exchange language]] – ___domain-independent language for data exchange; examples: [[JSON]], [[XML]]

*** [[MarkupPage description language|Page description]] – for annotatingdescribing athe documentappearance inof a wayprinted thatpage isin syntacticallya distinguishablehigher fromlevel thethan text,an suchactual asoutput [[HTMLbitmap]]

*** [[ModelingStyle sheet language|Style sheet]] – for expressing informationthe orpresentation knowledge,of oftenstructured fordocuments, usesuch inas computer system design[[CSS]]

** [[Architecture descriptionModeling language|Modeling]] – for describing and representing systemdesigning architecturessystems

** [[HardwareArchitecture description language|Architecture description]] – for modelingdescribing [[integratedand circuits]]representing system architecture

** [[PageHardware description language|Hardware description]] – for describing the appearance of a printed page in a higher level than an actual outputmodeling [[bitmapintegrated circuit]]s

* [[Simulation language|Simulation]] – for describing [[simulationssimulation|simulating]]

* [[Specification language|Specification]] – for describing what a system should do

* [[Style sheet language]] – for expressing the presentation of structured documents, such as [[CSS]]

==See also==