Low-level programming language: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:45, 14 November 2022

Revision as of 06:48, 14 November 2022

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A '''low-level programming language''' is a [[programming language]] that provides little or no [[Abstraction (computer science)|abstraction]] from a computer's [[instruction set architecture]]—commands or functions in the language map that are structurally similar to processor's instructions. Generally, this refers to either machin[[machine code]] or [[assembly language]]. Because of the low (hence the word) abstraction between the language and machine language, low-level languages are sometimes described as being "close to the hardware". Programs written in low-level languages tend to be relatively [[Software portability|non-portable]], due to being optimized for a certain type of system architecture.

A '''low-level programming language''' is a programming language that provides little or no abstraction from a computer's

Low-level languages can convert to machine code without a [[compiler]] or interpreter—second[[Interpreter (computing)|interpreter]]—[[second-generation programming languageslanguage]]s use a simpler processor called an assembler—and[[Assembly language#Assemble|assembler]]—and the resulting code runs directly on the processor. A program written in a low-level language can be made to run very quickly, with a small [[memory footprint]]. An equivalent program in a [[high-level language]] can be less efficient and use more memory. Low-level languages are simple, but considered difficult to use, due to numerous technical details that the programmer must remember. By comparison, a [[high-level programming language]] isolates execution semantics of a computer architecture from the specification of the program, which simplifies development.

—commands or functions in the language map that are structurally similar to processor's instructions. Generally, this refers to either machin code or . Because of the low (hence the word) abstraction between the language and machine language, low-level languages are sometimes described as being "close to the hardware". Programs written in low-level languages tend to be relatively non-portable, due to being optimized for a certain type of system architecture.

Low-level languages can convert to machine code without a compiler or interpreter—second-generation programming languages use a simpler processor called an assembler—and the resulting code runs directly on the processor. A program written in a low-level language can be made to run very quickly, with a small memory footprint. An equivalent program in a high-level language can be less efficient and use more memory. Low-level languages are simple, but considered difficult to use, due to numerous technical details that the programmer must remember. By comparison, a isolates execution semantics of a computer architecture from the specification of the program, which simplifies development.

== Machine code ==