Computer language: Difference between revisions

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

taxonomy

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 languages that are not programming in nature. Sub-categories (with possibly contended hierarchical relationships) include:

* [[Softwaresoftware construction#Construction languages|Construction language]] – for [[software construction]]

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

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

*** [[Query language|Query]] – for [[Information retrieval|querying]] [[databases]] and [[information systems]]

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

** Structural

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

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

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

*** [[Page description language|Page description]] – for describing the appearance of a printed page in a higher level than an actual output [[bitmap]]

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

** [[ProgrammingModeling language|Modeling]] – for communicatingdesigning instructions to a machine, particularly a computersystems

*** [[CommandArchitecture description language|Architecture description]] – for controlling the tasks of a computer,describing suchand asrepresenting startingsystem programsarchitecture

*** [[QueryHardware description language|Hardware description]] – for making [[Information retrieval|queries]] in [[databases]] andmodeling [[informationintegrated systemscircuit]]s

*** [[TransformationSimulation language|Simulation]] – for transforming the text of a formal language into text that meets a specific goal[[simulation|simulating]]

* [[ModelingSpecification language|Specification]] – for expressingdescribing informationwhat ora knowledge,system often for use in computer systemshould designdo

** [[Architecture description language]] – for describing and representing system architectures

** [[Hardware description language]] – for modeling [[integrated circuits]]

* [[Simulation language]] – for describing [[simulations]]

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

==See also==