CSP U3 Vocabulary

Input

Data that are sent to a computer for processing by a program. Can come in a variety of forms, such as tactile interaction, audio, visuals, or text.

Output

Any data that are sent from a program to a device. Can come in a variety of forms, such as tactile interaction, audio, visuals, or text.

User Interface

The inputs and outputs that allow a user to interact with a piece of software. User interfaces can include a variety of forms such as buttons, menus, images, text, and graphics.

Event Driven Programming

Some program statements run when triggered by an event, like a mouse click or a key press.

Program

A collection of program statements. Programs run (or “execute”) one command at a time.

Program Statement

A command or instruction. Sometimes also referred to as a code statement.

Sequential Programming

Program statements run in order, from top to bottom.

Comment

Form of program documentation written into the program to be read by people and which do not affect how a program runs.

Debugging

Finding and fixing problems in an algorithm or program.

Documentation

A written description of how a command or piece of code works or was developed.

Development Process

The steps or phases used to create a piece of software. Typical phases include investigating, designing, prototyping, and testing.

Pair Programming

A collaborative programming style in which two programmers switch between the roles of writing code and tracking or planning high level progress.

Assignment Operator

Allows a program to change the value represented by a variable

Expression

A combination of operators and values that evaluates to a single value.

String

An ordered sequence of characters.

Variable

A named reference to a value that can be used repeatedly throughout a program.

Boolean Value

A data type that is either true or false.

Comparison Operator

<, >, <=, >=, ==, != indicate a Boolean expression.

Conditional Statement

Affects the sequential flow of control by executing different statements based on the value of a Boolean expression.

Logical Operator

NOT, AND, and OR, which evaluate to a Boolean value.

Function

A named group of programming instructions. Also referred to as a “procedure”.

Function Call

A command that executes the code within a function.