CMU Programing Vocabulary

Program

a collection of program statements that performs a specific task when run by a computer; often referred to as software

Code Segment

A collection of program statements that are part of a program

Program behavior

how a program functions during execution and is often described by how a user interacts with it

Program output

any data sent from a program to a device; comes in a variety of forms such as tactile, audio, visual, or text

Program documentation

A written description of the function of a code segment, event, procedure, or program and how it was developed

Comments

program documentation for people to read that doesn’t affect the code

iterative

A process that requires refinement and revision based on feedback, testing, or reflection throughout the process; may require revisiting earlier phases of the process

incremental development

a process where one that breaks the problem into smaller pieces and makes sure each pice works before adding it to the whole

Syntax Error

a mistake in the rules or grammar of the code that prevents the computer from understanding it

Logic Error

the code runs, but does the wrong thing because the instructions or reasoning are incorrect

Runtime Error

an error that happens while the program is running, often causing the program to stop or behave unexpectedly