Programming by example: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Using concrete examples to teach computers behaviors}}

{{deadend|June 2007}}

In [[computer science]], '''programming by example''' ('''PbE'''), also termed '''[[Programming language|programming]] by demonstration''' or more generally as '''demonstrational programming''', is an [[end-user development]] technique for [[machine learning|teaching a computer new behavior]] by demonstrating actions on concrete examples.<ref>[https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/machine-learning-framework-programming-example/ A Machine Learning Framework for Programming by Example - Microsoft]</ref> The system records user actions and infers a generalized [[Computer program|program]] that can be used on new examples.

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''Programming by Example'' (also known as ''Programming by Demonstration'' or more generally as ''Demonstrational Programming'') is a technique for teaching the computer new behavior by demonstrating actions on concrete examples. The system records user actions and infers a generalized program that can be used upon new examples.

Programming by ExamplePbE is intended to be easier to do than traditional [[computer programming]], which generally requires learning and using a [[programming language]]. Many Programming by ExamplePbE systems have been developed as research prototypes[[prototype]]s, but few have found widespread real-world application. More recently, PbE has proved to be a useful paradigm for creating scientific work-flows. PbE is used in two independent clients for the [[BioMOBY]] protocol: [http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2105/8/208/abstract Seahawk] and [http://www.scfbm.org/content/1/1/4 Gbrowse moby].

Also the [[programming by demonstration]] (PbD) term has been mostly adopted by robotics [[Research|researchers]] for [[teaching]] new behaviors to the [[robot]] through a physical demonstration of the task. The usual distinction in the literature between these terms is that in PbE the user gives a prototypica<nowiki/>l product of the [[computer]] execution, such as [[Query by Example|a row in the desired results of a query]]; while in PbD the user performs a sequence of actions that the computer must repeat, generalizing it to be used in different [[data]] sets. For final users, to automate a [[workflow]] in a [[Complex logarithm|complex]] tool (e.g. [[Adobe Photoshop|Photoshop]]), the most simple case of PbD is the [[macro recorder]].

== Acknowledgments ==

Some content used with permission from Alan Cypher and Henry Lieberman

==See External Links also==

* [[Query by Example]]

* [http://web.media.mit.edu/~lieber/PBE/index.html Henry Lieberman's page on Programming by Example]

* [[Automated machine learning]]

* [http://www.acypher.com/wwid/ Online copy of <u>Watch What I Do</u>, Alan Cypher's book on Programming by Demonstration]

* [[Example-based machine translation]]

* [http://web.media.mit.edu/~lieber/PBE/Your-Wish/ Online copy of <u>Your Wish is My Command</u>, Henry Lieberman's sequel to <u>Watch What I Do</u>]

* [[Inductive programming]]

* [[Lapis (text editor)]], which allows [[simultaneous editing]] of similar items in [[multiple selection]]s created by example

* [[Programming by demonstration]]

* [[Test-driven development]]<!-- example-driven software development -->

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* [http://web.media.mit.edu/~lieber/PBE/index.html Henry Lieberman's page on Programming by Example]

* [http://www.acypher.com/wwid/ Online copy of <u>Watch What I Do</u>, AlanAllen Cypher's book on Programming by Demonstration]

* [http://web.media.mit.edu/~lieber/PBE/Your-Wish/ Online copy of <u>Your Wish is My Command</u>, Henry Lieberman's sequel to <u>Watch What I Do</u>]

* [http://www.dsmforum.org/events/DSVL01/carlson.pdf <u>A Visual Language for Data Mapping</u>, John Carlson's description of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that used Programming by Example (desktop objects) for data mapping, and an iconic language for recording operations]

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[[Category:User interfaces]]

[[Category:Programming paradigms]]

[[Category:Machine learning]]

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