Q: What is a computer program?
or
Q: A computer program: what is it?
- A file that gets printed by the Python interpreter.
- The syntax and semantics of a programming language.
- The overview of what the computer will have to do to solve an automation problem.
- Step-by-step instructions on how to complete a set of tasks, to be executed by a computer.
Explanation: A computer program, which is more often referred to as simply a “program,” is a collection of instructions that a computer executes to carry out a certain activity or series of activities. These instructions are written in a programming language and may be as simple as a set of fundamental operations or as intricate as a complicated algorithm. They can also be expressed in any level of complexity in between.
Typically, the goal of developing a computer program is to provide a solution to a certain issue or to automate a particular procedure. It is made up of directives, or statements, as well as functions and algorithms, which lay out the steps that need to be carried out by the computer. The term “program” may refer to anything from a short script that executes a single command to a complex piece of software that consists of many interconnected modules.
A computer program’s primary function is to mediate communication between the human user and the computer hardware, therefore empowering the latter to carry out the actions specified by the former (the programmer).
