Program Purpose & Function
This is the primary reason a program is created, often related to solving a problem or expressing an idea.
What is the program’s purpose?
This is a finite set of instructions that accomplish a task.
What is an algorithm?
On the AP Exam, this strategy is encouraged for working with others while maintaining individual accountability.
What is collaborative programming?
This term refers to the plan or blueprint of how a program will work before any code is written.
What is an algorithm or program design?
These notes in a program help humans understand the code but don’t affect execution.
What are comments?
This is what a program actually does when executed.
What is the program function?
This programming construct allows a group of instructions to be executed repeatedly.
What is a loop?
This is the term for dividing tasks among team members when building a program.
What is parallel collaboration (or task decomposition)?
These user-friendly representations help visualize how users interact with a program.
What are user interface designs?
This is a simplified explanation of what a function or program does, often shared with users.
What is a description or documentation?
A discrepancy between the intended purpose and actual function is called this.
What is a bug?
This helps make code easier to manage by giving a name to a reusable set of instructions.
What is a function (or procedure)?
This document helps manage collaboration by describing each member’s responsibilities.
What is a development plan or collaboration agreement?
This development process involves testing, debugging, and improving a program over time.
What is iterative development (design process)?
Including this with your code helps others use your functions without reading the implementation.
What is an application programming interface (API) (or function documentation)?
This type of comment explains why code exists, rather than what it does.
What is a purpose comment?
In programming, this refers to breaking a large problem into smaller parts.
What is decomposition?
Sharing code and receiving feedback from others is a key benefit of this practice.
What is code review (or peer review)?
When a program runs without crashing but does not produce the correct result, it contains this type of error.
What is a logic error?
This kind of error message might help a programmer identify the cause of a problem.
What is a debugging message or error log?
This principle emphasizes clear communication between the purpose and function of code.
What is self-documenting code?
This term describes the exploratory phase where programmers brainstorm and consider multiple approaches before writing code.
What is the design phase?
Collaborators who rotate between writing code and reviewing code are likely practicing this methodology.
What is pair programming?
This planning technique uses diagrams to represent logical steps in a program.
What is a flowchart?
Explaining your code and thought process to others is often called this.
What is a code walkthrough or rubber duck debugging?