Conceptual programming aims to recreate a programmer’s ideas within the program. It focuses on semantics and syntax, using concepts to create code that closely matches the programmer’s original idea. XL is currently the only language based on this paradigm.
Conceptual programming is a style of computer programming, also known as a programming paradigm, that aims to recreate the concepts in the mind of the programmer as closely as possible within the program itself. The idea behind conceptual programming is that each piece of code should mean something and clearly represent what action the programmer wants that piece of code to perform. Anything from needing an image to appear on the screen to wanting an error message to appear when an event occurs is considered a concept. Parts of computer code such as a semicolon telling a line of code where to end are not concepts because they are only there to help the computer run and do not represent ideas from the mind of the programmer.
The conceptual programming paradigm is not a programming language per se. Rather, it’s a method of evaluating other programming languages to identify their flaws. The ultimate goal is to make the physical computer program as identical as possible to the programmer’s abstract and original idea.
In conceptual programming, the programmer focuses on semantics and syntax. Semantics is how the program is expected to behave, and syntax is how the programmer imagines it should be written. For example, in a Java program the code A+B might show the addition of A and B. This program has good syntax because it closely resembles the programmer’s original concept of addition. If, however, during execution the program creates an error when it tries to add A and B, then the program has poor semantics because it does not produce the expected result.
When writing code based on conceptual programming techniques, the programmer first determines the concepts the program needs to work. If the programmer were creating a virtual calculator, for example, they would probably imagine the concepts of being able to add, subtract, multiply and divide. He would also have figured out a way to enter data, such as using a keyboard, and a way to display the results on the screen. These ideas constitute the concepts of the program. He could also consider what color and how big the calculator should be, but these are not concepts since they are not necessary for the application to run.
After the programmer has finished mapping out his concepts, he finds the best way to represent those concepts in computer code. He tries to write code that closely matches his idea of himself in terms of semantics and syntax. He can use pieces of pre-existing code, such as A + B, or create his own code to better represent his concepts.
As of mid-2011, XL is the only programming language created based on the conceptual programming paradigm. It aims to create flexible programming syntax and rules that match how a programmer thinks. It allows programmers to focus on what they want to create instead of worrying about non-conceptual stuff like ending a line of code with a semicolon.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
