Where exactly do you write computer code?

Question

Can someone tell me WHERE do you actually write computer programming language (e.g. C, C++)? I know nothing about the inner workings of computers. My first assumption is that you would write the code in a software program — but isn't the code making a software program? My second assumption is you would be writing it on the actual hardware — but where on a computer is there hardware that you command with text?

To those in the know - yes I know, it's a very dumb question, n00b and so forth...

but please help.

Answer 1

You would want to find a compiler software... you're not actually writing to a specific piece of hardware in your ocmputer. I use the high level language Python and it's decently simple and straightforward to use.

Once you've written the code in the compiler you'll be able to run the program that you've written...

Kind of a vague question but I hope this helps a bit.

Answer 2

Dude!! Really good question out there. I remember asking the very same thing myself well... now that I think of it quite some time ago.



Writing programming code (Whether it be XML or C or VB routines or even Java, Perl) can be done in a simple notepad.exe program, which has been provided as part of Windows OS forever.



There are some programs (Textpad, JEdit, etc) that actually have a sorts of spell-checker, that knows the syntax for that programming language, and helps you keep track of whether you have arleady closed a routine by using the } key, and etc.



Microsoft for example, has the .NET programming interface, one for each language, where you can type and create your code.



Now, is it necessary? Perhaps desired, but definitely not Vital.



What is required, is a program that we call Compiler. A Compiler, will basically grab any written code (say a C++ file, which we created on notepad.exe and saved as test.cpp) and it will then translate it into binary code, which is what the computer can actually understand. The end result of these conversions are .exe files, and a wide variety of other data.



Without a Compiler, the computer would never be able to truly interpret and follow the directions of the code.



I hope this makes some sense. Once we get the code down, we can write little applets and routines anywhere, I often end up using my blackberry and emailing myself those thoughts, and then pasting them onto a notepad file.



Now when I sit down to work on XML or Perl, I do try to find some program (Dreamweaver, or a Freeware Perl compiler) where I can create, type and think without focusing too much, and have the program help me out to say "Hey, you forgot to put end quote here, or finish the sentence there".



So in conclusion, we write Code (Instructions) > They get "Compiled" into Binary Code (Ones and Zeros, that the Computer's hardware can understand) and > We execute that Code whenever it is necessary. The machine/OS reads the 1s and 0s, and returns with the results of those instructions.



Keep coming with the great questions.

Answer 3

If your trying to learn at home, C++, & C# are both in Microsoft's Visual Studio Express. It is a free download from Microsoft with a wealth of tutorials in each of 4 fields. C#, C++, Visual web Designer, & Visual Basic. It also teaches you the fundamentals of using SQL through a variety of applications in all the different languages. It also gives you unlimited use of MSDN ( MicroSoft Developer's Network ) where you can ask questions to people who have been doing this for a LONG time!

http://www.microsoft.com/express/download/

This is where to go to get it.

Good Luck, & happy code writing, Welcome to the Club :-)

PS, the thing your asking about, the program, is called an IDE , that is Integrated Development Environment.That is where you will develop all your code & create programs.

An IDE has 2 sides. First, the design side, where you can see what your program will look like. This is where you will drag & drop your controls for the program. 2nd, is the code side for the form,. This is where you will create the event handlers that will drive your progam. This is where your code will go.

There are many program languages, & many code forms, as well as there are many types & brands of IDE's. Visual Studio Express is the best place to start if you wish to try at home, before committing yourself to college. I have developed several programs that work, at home with VSE. It's a great first step into the developer's world!

PPS I don't think anyone actually writes any code other than HTML, for web pages in Notebook. Even there, I will use Web Developer, Or Coffeecup. I prefer IDE's , since I am a beginner myself.

Answer 4

You can write your program code into an ordinary text file.



The text file with your code is submitted as input to some other program, which translates it into actual machine code which a computer can directly execute.



In some cases your code may be translated and executed all at the same time. This is called interpretation.



In most cases, a program will translate your code in its entirety, producing an executable file which can then be run directly, no further translation necessary. This is called compilation.



It's done this way because the machine code itself is far too hard to deal with. The program code you write into text files is designed to be easier to understand. This makes writing programs a lot less trouble.



In the beginning, programmers did indeed "program on the hardware." But computers are very versatile, and over time programmers exploited this to make their jobs easier, creating more english-like programming languages, and then using programs to translate them into the machine code that computers actually require.

Answer 5

you are right a computer language is software compiled so it can run in another software that is embedded in the circuitry of the computer such as windows, DOS, LINUX, UNIX, etc. Yes you do write it to communicate with the written information on the hardware. In simple and short terms as long as you know how the chip you are writing to will interpret the commands you give it you can use any set of information that will accomplish your goal, but you will require to build libraries(multiple specific codes to do tasks, that can be referenced and used over and over without having to write them out). Hence the use of software that can translate any information to be decoded in the IC. C++ already has libraries and is why would be most commonly used, Linux, Unix are other operating systems written to communicate with the processor, and are the ones that translate the information, but these are also software programs that interpret what ever language you decide to use to give the hardware commands it understands. This is just simple and short and does not cover how it happens but having some sort of idea you can search online more about it....GOOD LUCK....

Answer 6

Not a dumb question... The answer is Code::Blocks make sure to download the GNU GCC compiler with it which is on the Code::Blocks site. There you can write software, games, and execute your C or C++ program.. If you use different programming languages you can't use Code::Blocks.. Also use Xcode if you're making games for Apple; make sure to use Xcode on a Mac. It depends on what you want to accomplish, but C++ makes most programming languages. C++ is the universal language based off of C. Anyway– Good luck and I asked many questions nyself on this type of thing.

Answer 7

> I hear of people "writing code" and programming for a living, > but I have no idea what that means. Writing instructions for computers to follow > Are they contributing something completely unique and original? Sometimes. > Or is it a menial task? Sometimes. Some programming involves a lot of creative thought and design. Some is closer to drudge work. > Is it "writing" in the sense that one writes a letter? Programming languages are rather more structured then human languages. > And the different "languages"... are they like English, Spanish, > and French... except... in computer? There are some similarities.

Answer 8

Yes, you use software to write code (software). I know it sounds funny, but that's how it is. If you are a beginner and are getting into programming you can start writing code by using a program like QBasic. This is what they use to teach beginner programming in colleges and universities.

Answer 9

Early computers used punch cards to store data and programs. The early computer programmers creates holes in these punch cards to communicate with the computer (even earlier they rewire the computer circuits, but let's not get that far).



Early programmers write programs directly into the storage device like punch cards or drums (now they're replaced by harddisk).



Even today, given the proper knowledge about the CPU architecture and the OS's executable format, you can write program using a text editor and change the extension to .exe and make the program run. [in reality, it's not so simple; most text editors nowadays are designed to write human-readable text and might mangle up your code, where it is irrelevant for typical read and write purpose]



Well, but that's not so productive, since you'll have to be very familiar with how CPU works; and you'll have to remember all the op codes for every instructions.



That's how early programmers work, but now instead of having to write the binary data ourselves, we delegate this menial task into a program called a "compiler".



As you might have guessed, early compilers are written directly into the storage media just like all the early programs. Early compilers are very primitive and the language it uses are just a bit nicer than the machine code (binary). Later compilers uses these hand-written compilers to write an even more advanced compilers, and this process iterates through the years until the high-level language we have now. [in truth, this is a bit of oversimplification]



Basically, a compiler's job is to turn a program written in high level language like this:



#include

using namespace std;

int main() {

int a = 5;

int b = 4;

cout << a + b << endl;

}



into a machine code.



A machine code is just pure stream of binary data, which is nearly incomprehensible to humans (though it is in fact very highly structured).



It is the CPU's job to decode this stream of binary data into instructions and execute the instructions and produce outputs. A simplified view of CPU is, a "thing" that if you feed stream of binary data, will produce another stream of binary data. For humans the stream is nearly incomprehensible, but there are assemblers and disassemblers (a sub-type of compiler) which can translate between a human-readable language and this stream of binary data. The dissasembler will analyse this stream of binary data and produce a human readable text (note that in computer, a text is just another stream of binary data, but let's assume they are different for simplification purpose).

Answer 10

yes you do need to use a program to write the code in - you can use anything such as notepad if you are expereienced, but most use things such as VBA which is the back end editor of all office applications, then we get to applications such as VB where complete stand alone applications are written. just hit the ALt + F11 key to access



if you have office VBA is a very good envrionment to start as its ideal for noobs

Answer 11

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Answer 12

Not a dumb question - I use Dreamweaver for my websites and have also used wordpress sites as well - both work well.