High-level programming involves writing code in a language that abstracts the hardware, allowing for easier program design. High-level languages are more readable and user-friendly, but may incur an abstraction penalty. Compiled languages transform source code into machine code, but can harm optimization. High-level languages also make user-friendly programming easier. The term “high-level” is relative and can blur with intermediate or low-level languages.
High-level programming involves writing a computer program in a language that saves the programmer from dealing directly with the specific computer hardware to be programmed. This abstraction allows the programmer to focus more on program design, flow, and functionality and less on marshalling core system resources to achieve those goals. A high-level programming language can handle memory management or input and output in a way that the programmer only needs to understand the concept and not the hardware specifications of a given system. In contrast to high-level programming is low-level programming, where there is little, if any, separation between the computer code written and the actions the computer performs.
The development of high-level programming languages was in response to the need for human-readable source code files that could be easily understood and modified. By using natural language solutions, high-level source code becomes much more readable than assembly language or other machine languages. As the size of computer programs has progressed, the convenience of writing entire programs in low-level languages has become less feasible.
In exchange for programming in a human-readable language that doesn’t require low-level hardware knowledge, there is a concept known as an abstraction penalty. It describes the increased processing power, memory usage, and other overhead required to run the final program. This is especially true for interpreted languages that need to run an interpreter to run the program, essentially requiring that two applications must run concurrently.
Compiled languages are high-level programming languages in which human-readable source files are transformed into machine-readable machine code. While a compiled language suffers less of an abstraction penalty than an interpreted language, it still relies on precompiled libraries and automated compiler functions. These elements can harm the optimization of a complex program where performance is vital.
The use of high-level programming languages has also made user-friendly programming easier. This is facilitated by the ease of adding standardized elements to a user interface provided by most high-level languages. Instead of developing custom code for a windowing system or interface button whenever needed, familiar elements can easily be inserted into an interface with just a few lines of code. This allows for programs that end users can learn more easily or become familiar with immediately.
The use of the term “high-level programming” is relative to the experience of the programmer. There are some intermediate languages that were once considered low level but are now not. Similarly, some high-level languages share aspects with low-level languages, blurring the line between them.
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