Introduction to Programming Concepts (Vocabulary)

What is a computer program?

A computer program is a recipe of instructions that tells your computer what to do.
When you write a program, you create a step-by-step recipe of what needs to be done to complete a task.
When your computer executes the program, it reads what you wrote and follows your instructions to the letter.
The recipe is written in a code called programming language.

Programming languages are actually similar to human spoken languages since they have a syntax and semantics.
In a human language, syntax is the rules for how a sentence is constructed, while semantics refers to the actual meaning of the statements.
In English, sentences generally have both a subject, that's a person, place, or thing, and a predicate, usually a verb and a statement that explains what the subject is doing. Let's take the sentence, Paula loves to program in Python, as an example.
In this sentence, Paula is the subject and loves to program in Python is the predicate.
To form a sentence that others can understand, you need to know both the syntax that constructs the sentence and the semantics that gives it meaning.
The same applies to programming languages. In a programming language like Python, the syntax is the rules for how each instruction is written, and the semantics is the effects the instructions have.
Much like spoken languages, there are lots of programming languages to choose from.
Each has its own history, features, and applications, but they all share the same fundamental ideas.
So once you understand the basic concepts in one programming language, it becomes much easier to learn another.
And lastly, computers always do exactly what they're told.
So when you write a program, it's important to be super clear about what you want the computer to do.
Learning the syntax and semantics of the programming language you choose will allow you to do just that.

Make sense? Before we continue, let's spend a moment on terminology. In the next few videos, you'll hear the term script being used a bunch. So what's the difference between a script and a program? The line between the two can be a bit blurry, and in this course, we'll use the terms interchangeably.
In general, you can think of scripts as programs with a short development cycle that can be created and deployed rapidly.
In other words, a script is a program that is short, simple, and can be written very quickly.
In this course, we'll focus on a specific scripting language called Python, which we'll use to learn the basics of programming. We'll learn about the Python syntax, the rules of how to write a Python program, and the semantics or meaning of the different pieces involved.
Before we start learning how to code and having you write your first Python script, let's talk more about what automation is and why it's useful.

We'll focus on Python, a scripting language, to learn the basics of programming.
We'll use Python to learn the syntax (rules for writing Python code) and the semantics (meaning of the code pieces).

Before we start learning how to code and having you write your first Python script, let's talk more about what automation is and why it's useful.

Key takeaway: Once you understand the basic concepts in one programming language, it becomes much easier to learn another.
The overarching pattern across languages is that syntax is how you write instructions and semantics is what those instructions do.
Computers will always do exactly what they're told, underscoring the importance of clarity and precision in your instructions.
The notion of scripts vs programs highlights how the same underlying ideas can apply to different scales and development timelines, with Python used here as the learning vehicle.
Practical implication: because automation involves writing programs that perform tasks automatically, clear definitions of tasks, inputs, and expected outcomes are essential to avoid unintended results.
Real-world relevance: the ability to learn one language quickly lowers barriers to adopting new tools and technologies, enabling faster automation of real tasks.

Program = recipe of instructions for a computer.
Syntax = rules for how code is written; Semantics = what the code does.
Subject and predicate analogy helps understand programming statements.
Many programming languages exist, but fundamentals are shared across them.
Computers execute instructions literally; precision matters.
Script vs program: terminology overlaps; scripts are typically short and rapidly developed.
This course focuses on Python as a practical entry point to learn syntax, semantics, and basic programming concepts.
An upcoming topic is automation and its usefulness in reducing manual work and increasing reliability.