Computer Science - Classification of Programming Languages Programming Languages are broken down into High level and Low level languages. This slideshow shows how they are classified and explains low level and high level languages in depth.

1. Computer Science
(A Level)
Classification of
Programming
Languages

2. 4th Generation Data query,
analysis and reporting
3rd Generation
Imperative
2nd Generation
Assembly
1st Generation
Machine code
High level languages
Low level languages
Programming Languages - Generations

3. 2nd Generation
Assembly
1st Generation
Machine code
Low level languages
Low Level Languages
(These low level languages are
explained in another Slide Show)

4. Machine code and Assembly code
A programming language that allows
programs to be written using English
keywords and is platform independent
(Definitions)

5. Advantages
• Achieves a smaller memory footprint (compact)
• Achieves better code optimisation and therefore code will run faster and
more efficiently
• Allows direct manipulation if the registers on the processors, giving high
levels of control
• Processors in these systems may be slow and have limited memory so the
efficiency of assembly language or machine code is needed. Also useful
real time control systems where speed is very important
• Since you are writing at machine level you control the level of
of the code created.
• Can be easily modified
Low Level Languages

6. Disadvantages
• More difficult to understand, maintain and debug than
high level languages
• More difficult to write without making errors
• Machine dependent making it difficult to port to a
different instruction set processor
• Memory addresses and operations have to be
remembered
Low Level Languages

7. High Level Programming
Languages
Imperative
Object
Oriented
Procedural
Declarative
Logic
Database
Query
Functional
Hierarchy of High Level Languages

8. • High level languages are problem-orientated whereas low level
languages are machine-orientated.
• Problem-orientated means that the commands and the way
the program is structured are based on what the program will
have to do rather than the components of the computer it will
be used with.
• This means that programs of high level languages are portable.
These programs can be written on one computer and then
executed on another.
High Level Languages

9. • There are many types of high level languages, each is written to
cope with the demands of specific types of problems. E.g. some
are designed for scientific applications, manipulating
databases, creating web pages etc.
• There are 2 classified groups of high level languages
–Imperative
–Declarative
High Level Languages