Characteristics
of Good Programming Language
Every
computer requires appropriate instruction set (programs) to perform the
required task. The quality of the processing depends upon the given
instructions. If the instructions are improper or incorrect then it is the
result will be superfluous.
A
good programming language must be simple and easy to learn and use. It should
provide a programmer with a clear,
simple and unified set of concepts that can be grasped easily.
A
good computer program should have following characteristics
- Portability
Portability refers to the ability of an application to run on different platforms (operating systems) with or without minimal changes.
- Readability
The program should be written in such a way that it makes other programmers or users to follow the logic of the program without much effort. If a program is written structurally, it helps the programmers to understand their own program in a better way. Even if some computational efficiency needs to be sacrificed for better readability, it is advisable to use a more user-friendly approach.
- Efficiency
Every program requires certain processing time and memory to process the instructions and data. Code efficiency is directly linked with algorithmic efficiency and the speed of runtime execution for software. It is the key element in ensuring high performance.
- Structural
To develop a program, the task must be broken down into a number of subtasks. These subtasks are developed independently, and each subtask is able to perform the assigned job without the help of any other subtask. If a program is developed structurally, it becomes more readable, and the testing and documentation process also gets easier.
- Flexibility
A program should be flexible enough to handle most of the changes without having to rewrite the entire program. Most of the programs are developed for a certain period and they require modifications from time to time. For example, in case of payroll management, as the time progresses, some employees may leave the company while some others may join. Hence, the payroll application should be flexible enough to incorporate all the changes without having to reconstruct the entire application.
- Generality
Generality means that if a program is developed for a particular task, then it should also be used for all similar tasks of the same domain. For example, if a program is developed for a particular organization, then it should suit all the other similar organizations.
- Documentation
Documentation is one of the most important components of an application development. A well[1]documented application is also useful for other programmers because even in the absence of the author, they can understand it.
