How Programming Works – Behind the Scenes

A computer program is a sequence of commands executed by the Central Processing Unit(CPU) one after another. Those commands are generally very simple (likesums, multiplications, reading data from the Random Access Memory(RAM)), but are combined to do more complicated tasks. Typically a program consists of thousands to millions of such simple commands.

What is Actually Involved in Programming???

In this post I’m going to introduce some technical terms. It’s unavoidable. The jargon will always get you in the end (if you choose to become a programmer, soon you’ll actually be talking in jargon).

However, I’ll explain each term as we come to it, and there’s a list of jargon in the following section (with explanations, of course).

Can You Be A Programmer???

You may be feeling slightly uneasy if you read my previous article, What Programming Really Is??? . I’ve admitted that programming is, in a way, unnatural. I’ve warned you about the spectacular stupidity of computers, so you’re probably getting a small idea of the amount of task-description you’d need to do in order to make your computer do anything even vaguely impressive.

What Programming Really is?

Given the general nature of that question, and the fact that programming is seen as a hideously complex subject, you’re probably expecting a highly convoluted and technical answer. But you’re not going to get one (sorry about that).