Computer Science and Programming Fundamentals Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering introductory computer programming, data types, control flow, functions, memory, and string handling.

Abstraction

Using broader ideas instead of technical details.

Variable Declaration

Reserves enough memory to store the data type and attaches an identifier to that memory location.

Variable Assignment

Store a useful value in a variable.

Variable Initialization

Combine variable declaration and assignment into one statement.

Compiling

Translate human readable code into machine readable 1's and O's.

Conversion Specifier

A placeholder for variable values inside the format string.

Format String

Text between the double quotes of an IO function call.

Escaped Characters

Nonprinting characters or characters with special meaning.

Modularity

The degree to which a system's components may be separated and recombined.

Function

Self contained modules of code that accomplish a specific task.

Scope

Which parts of your program code you can see or use a variable.

Duration

How long a variable exists in memory while the program is running.

Parameters

List of variables used to store input into the function.

Arguments

Input values passed into a function when it's called.

Pointers

Variables that store memory location values.

Pass by Value

Input parameters are copies of argument values.

Pass by Address

Input parameters are addresses of argument variables.

Streams

Any source of input or any destination for output.

File Pointer

Tool for accessing a stream.

Mode

How the contents of the file will be accessed.

Append

Data written to the file is added at the end.

Iteration

The repetition of a process.

Loop Body

Statements which are executed repeatedly.

Controlling Expression

Decides whether the loop body executes, or the loop is done.

Scalar

Capable of storing a single data item.

Aggregate

Capable of storing a collection of data items.

Arrays

Data structure containing a number of data values, all of which have the same type.

Elements

Individual item in an array.

Contiguous

Sequential, in reference to memory addresses.

Index

Represents how far the element is from the beginning of the array.

Character Array

Set of contiguous memory reserved to store characters.

String Variable

Sequence of characters stored in a char array terminated by a null character.

Null Character

Special character which indicates the end of a string: '\0'

String Literal

Sequence of characters enclosed in double quotation marks.

Command Line Arguments

Information sent into the program as parameters into the main function.