COMPUTER PROGRAMMING TUTORIAL

Computer programming is the act of writing computer programs, which are a sequence of
instructions written using a Computer Programming Language to perform a specified task by the
computer.

Computer Programming is fun and easy to learn provided you adopt a proper approach. This
tutorial attempts to cover the basics of computer programming using a simple and practical
approach for the benefit of novice learners.

Audience
This tutorial has been prepared for the beginners who are willing to learn computer programming
but they are unable to learn it due to lack of proper guidance. We are confident that after
completing this tutorial, you will be at a level where you can code in C Programming language and
will have a basic understanding of Java and Python programming languages as well from where you
can continue further.

If you are completely new to Computer Programming, then we recommend you to read this tutorial
twice or even thrice. First reading will not give you much idea, but during your second reading, you
will start grasping most of the concepts and you will enjoy writing computer programs.

Prerequisites
We do not expect much from you as prerequisites, however, we assume that you have some
amount of exposure to computers and its peripherals like keyboard, mouse, screen, printer, etc.

2.0 Computer Programming – Overview

2.1 Introduction to Computer Program
Before getting into computer programming, let us first understand computer programs and what they
do.

A computer program is a sequence of instructions written using a Computer Programming Language to

perform a specified task by the computer.

The two important terms that we have used in the above definition are −

 Sequence of instructions
 Computer Programming Language

To understand these terms, consider a situation when someone asks you about how to go to a nearby
KFC. What exactly do you do to tell him the way to go to KFC?

You will use Human Language to tell the way to go to KFC, something as follows −

First go straight, after half kilometer, take left from the red light and then drive around one kilometer
and you will find KFC at the right.
Here, you have used English Language to give several steps to be taken to reach KFC. If they are followed
in the following sequence, then you will reach KFC −

1. Go straight
2. Drive half kilometer
3. Take left
4. Drive around one kilometer
5. Search for KFC at your right side
Now, try to map the situation with a computer program. The above sequence of instructions is actually
a Human Program written in English Language, which instructs on how to reach KFC from a given
starting point. This same sequence could have been given in Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, or any other human
language, provided the person seeking direction knows any of these languages.

Now, let's go back and try to understand a computer program, which is a sequence of instructions
written in a Computer Language to perform a specified task by the computer. Following is a simple
program written in Python programming Language −

Print "Hello, World!"

The above computer program instructs the computer to print "Hello, World!" on the computer screen.

 A computer program is also called a computer software, which can range from two lines to
millions of lines of instructions.

 Computer program instructions are also called program source code and computer
programming is also called program coding.

 A computer without a computer program is just a dump box; it is programs that make
computers active.

As we have developed so many languages to communicate among ourselves, computer scientists have
developed several computer-programming languages to provide instructions to the computer (i.e., to
write computer programs). We will see several computer programming languages in the subsequent
chapters.

2.2 Introduction to Computer Programming

If you understood what a computer program is, then we will say: the act of writing computer programs
is called computer programming.

As we mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of programming languages, which can be used to write
computer programs and following are a few of them −
 Java
 C
 C++
 Python
 PHP
 Perl
 Ruby
2.3 Uses of Computer Programs
Today computer programs are being used in almost every field, household, agriculture, medical,
entertainment, defense, communication, etc. Listed below are a few applications of computer programs

 MS Word, MS Excel, Adobe Photoshop, Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc., are examples of
computer programs.

 Computer programs are being used to develop graphics and special effects in movie making.

 Computer programs are being used to perform Ultrasounds, X-Rays, and other medical
examinations.

 Computer programs are being used in our mobile phones for SMS, Chat, and voice
communication.

2.4 Computer Programmer

Someone who can write computer programs or in other words, someone who can do computer
programming is called a Computer Programmer.

Based on computer programming language expertise, we can name a computer programmers as follows
 C Programmer
 C++ Programmer
 Java Programmer
 Python Programmer
 PHP Programmer
 Perl Programmer
 Ruby Programmer

2.5 Algorithm
From programming point of view, an algorithm is a step-by-step procedure to resolve any problem. An
algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite set of well-defined instructions.

Thus, a computer programmer lists down all the steps required to resolve a problem before writing the
actual code. Following is a simple example of an algorithm to find out the largest number from a given
list of numbers −

1. Get a list of numbers L1, L2, L3....LN

2. Assume L1 is the largest, Largest = L1
3. Take next number Li from the list and do the following
4. If Largest is less than Li
5. Largest = Li
6. If Li is last number from the list then
7. Print value stored in Largest and come out
8. Else repeat same process starting from step 3

The above algorithm has been written in a crude way to help beginners understand the concept. You will
come across more standardized ways of writing computer algorithms as you move on to advanced levels
of computer programming.
 3.0 Computer Programming - Basics
We assume you are well aware of English Language, which is a well-known Human Interface Language.
English has a predefined grammar, which needs to be followed to write English statements in a correct
way. Likewise, most of the Human Interface Languages (Hindi, English, Spanish, French, etc.) are made
of several elements like verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, propositions, and conjunctions, etc.

Similar to Human Interface Languages, Computer Programming Languages are also made of several
elements. We will take you through the basics of those elements and make you comfortable to use
them in various programming languages. These basic elements include −

 Programming Environment
 Basic Syntax
 Data Types
 Variables
 Keywords
 Basic Operators
 Decision Making
 Loops
 Numbers
 Characters
 Arrays
 Strings
 Functions
 File I/O
We will explain all these elements in subsequent chapters with examples using different programming
languages. First, we will try to understand the meaning of all these terms in general and then, we will
see how these terms can be used in different programming languages.

This tutorial has been designed to give you an idea about the following most popular programming
languages −

 C Programming
 Java Programming
 Python Programming
A major part of the tutorial has been explained by taking C as programming language and then we have
shown how similar concepts work in Java and Python. So after completion of this tutorial, you will be
quite familiar with these popular programming languages.

4.0 Computer Programming - Environment

Though Environment Setup is not an element of any Programming Language, it is the first step to be
followed before setting on to write a program.

When we say Environment Setup, it simply implies a base on top of which we can do our programming.
Thus, we need to have the required software setup, i.e., installation on our PC which will be used to
write computer programs, compile, and execute them.
For example, if you need to browse Internet, then you need the following setup on your machine −

 A working Internet connection to connect to the Internet

 A Web browser such as Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari, etc.

If you are a PC user, then you will recognize the following screenshot, which we have taken from the
Internet Explorer while browsing tutorialspoint.com.

Similarly, you will need the following setup to start with programming using any programming language.

 A text editor to create computer programs.

 A compiler to compile the programs into binary format.
 An interpreter to execute the programs directly.

In case you dont have sufficient exposure to computers, you will not be able to set up either of these
software. So, we suggest you take the help from any technical person around you to set up the
programming environment on your machine from where you can start. But for you, it is important to
understand what these items are.

4.1 Text Editor

A text editor is a software that is used to write computer programs. Your Windows machine must have a
Notepad, which can be used to type programs. You can launch it by following these steps −

Start Icon → All Programs → Accessories → Notepad → Mouse Click on Notepad

It will launch Notepad with the following window −

You can use this software to type your computer program and save it in a file at any location. You can
download and install other good editors like Notepad++, which is freely available.

If you are a Mac user, then you will have TextEdit or you can install some other commercial editor
like BBEdit to start with.
4.2 Compiler
You write your computer program using your favorite programming language and save it in a text file
called the program file.

Now let us try to get a little more detail on how the computer understands a program written by you
using a programming language. Actually, the computer cannot understand your program directly given
in the text format, so we need to convert this program in a binary format, which can be understood by
the computer.

The conversion from text program to binary file is done by another software called Compiler and this
process of conversion from text formatted program to binary format file is called program compilation.
Finally, you can execute binary file to perform the programmed task.

We are not going into the details of a compiler and the different phases of compilation.

The following flow diagram gives an illustration of the process −

So, if you are going to write your program in any such language, which needs compilation like C, C++,
Java and Pascal, etc., then you will need to install their compilers before you start programming.

4.3 Interpreter
We just discussed about compilers and the compilation process. Compilers are required in case you are
going to write your program in a programming language that needs to be compiled into binary format
before its execution.

There are other programming languages such as Python, PHP, and Perl, which do not need any
compilation into binary format, rather an interpreter can be used to read such programs line by line and
execute them directly without any further conversion.
So, if you are going to write your programs in PHP, Python, Perl, Ruby, etc., then you will need to install
their interpreters before you start programming.

4.4 Online Compilation

If you are not able to set up any editor, compiler, or interpreter on your machine,
then tutorialspoint.com provides a facility to compile and run almost all the programs online with an
ease of a single click.

Go to our Online Compilers page, choose a specific programming compiler, and start your coding
practice: Online Programming Compilers

So do not worry and let's proceed further to have a thrilling experience to become a computer
programmer in simple and easy steps.

5.0 Computer Programming - Basic Syntax

Let’s start with a little coding, which will really make you a computer programmer. We are going to
write a single-line computer program to write Hello, World! on your screen. Let’s see how it can be
written using different programming languages.

5.1 Hello World Program in C

Try the following example using our online compiler option available at Online Programming Compilers.
For most of the examples given in this tutorial, you will find a Try it option in our website code sections
at the top right corner that will take you to the online compiler.
Try to change the content inside printf(), i.e., type anything in place of Hello World! and then check its
result. It just prints whatever you keep inside the two double quotes.
Open Compiler
#include <stdio.h>

int main() {

/* printf() function to write Hello, World! */

printf( "Hello, World!" );

Which produces the following result −

Hello, World!
This little Hello World program will help us understand various basic concepts related to C Programming.

5.2 Program Entry Point

For now, just forget about the #include <stdio.h> statement, but keep a note that you have to put
this statement at the top of a C program.

Every C program starts with main (), which is called the main function, and then it is followed by a
left curly brace. The rest of the program instruction is written in between and finally a right curly
brace ends the program.

The coding part inside these two curly braces is called the program body. The left curly brace can be
in the same line as main() { or in the next line like it has been mentioned in the above program.

5.3 Functions
Functions are small units of programs and they are used to carry out a specific task. For example,
the above program makes use of two functions: main() and printf(). Here, the function main()
provides the entry point for the program execution and the other function printf() is being used to
print an information on the computer screen.

You can write your own functions which we will see in a separate chapter, but C programming itself
provides various built-in functions like main(), printf(), etc., which we can use in our programs based
on our requirement.

Some of the programming languages use the word sub-routine instead of function, but their
functionality is more or less the same.

5.4 Comments
A C program can have statements enclosed inside /*.....*/. Such statements are called comments
and these comments are used to make the programs user friendly and easy to understand. The
good thing about comments is that they are completely ignored by compilers and interpreters. So
you can use whatever language you want to write your comments.

5.5 Whitespaces
When we write a program using any programming language, we use various printable characters to
prepare programming statements. These printable characters are a, b, c,......z, A, B, C,.....Z, 1, 2,
3,...... 0, !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, (, ), -, _, +, =, \, |, {, }, [, ], :, ;, <, >, ?, /, \, ~. `. ", '.
Apart from these characters, there are some characters which we use very frequently but they are
invisible in your program and these characters are spaces, tabs (\t), new lines(\n). These characters
are called whitespaces. These three important whitespace characters are common in all the
programming languages and they remain invisible in your text document −

Whitespace Explanation Representation

New Line To create a new line \n

Tab To create a tab. \t

Space To create a space. empty space

A line containing only whitespace, possibly with a comment, is known as a blank line, and a C
compiler totally ignores it. Whitespace is the term used in C to describe blanks, tabs, newline
characters, and comments. So you can write printf("Hello, World!" ); as shown below. Here all the
created spaces around "Hello, World!" are useless and the compiler will ignore them at the time of
compilation.

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
/* printf() function to write Hello, World! */
printf( "Hello, World!" );
}
Which produces the following result −

Hello, World!
If we make all these whitespace characters visible, then the above program will look like this and you
will not be able to compile it −

#include <stdio.h>\n
\n
int main()\n
{
\n
\t/* printf() function to write Hello, World! */
\n
\tprintf(\t"Hello, World!"\t);\n
\n
}\n
5.6 Semicolons
Every individual statement in a C Program must be ended with a semicolon (;), for example, if you want
to write "Hello, World!" twice, then it will be written as follows −

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
/* printf() function to write Hello, World! */
printf( "Hello, World!\n" );
printf( "Hello, World!" );
}

This program will produce the following result −

Hello, World!
Hello, World!

Here, we are using a new line character \n in the first printf() function to create a new line. Let us see
what happens if we do not use this new line character −

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
/* printf() function to write Hello, World! */
printf( "Hello, World!" );
printf( "Hello, World!" );
}

This program will produce the following result −

Hello, World! Hello, World!

We will learn identifiers and keywords in next few chapters.

5.7 Program Explanation

Let us understand how the above C program works. First of all, the above program is converted into a
binary format using C compiler. So lets put this code in test.c file and compile it as follows −

$gcc test.c -o demo

If there is any grammatical error (Syntax errors in computer terminologies), then we fix it before
converting it into binary format. If everything goes fine, then it produces a binary file called demo.
Finally, we execute the produced binary demo as follows −

$./demo
which produces the following result −

Hello, World!

Here, when we execute the binary a.out file, the computer enters inside the program starting from
main() and encounters a printf() statement. Keep a note that the line inside /*....*/ is a comment and it
is filtered at the time of compilation. So printf() function instructs the computer to print the given line at
the computer screen. Finally, it encounters a right curly brace which indicates the end of main() function
and exits the program.

5.8 Syntax Error

If you do not follow the rules defined by the programing language, then at the time of compilation,
you will get syntax errors and the program will not be compiled. From syntax point of view, even a
single dot or comma or a single semicolon matters and you should take care of such small syntax as
well. In the following example, we have skipped a semicolon, let's try to compile the program −

#include <stdio.h>
main() {
printf("Hello, World!")
}

This program will produce the following result −

main.c: In function 'main':
main.c:7:1: error: expected ';' before '}' token
}

So the bottom-line is that if you are not following proper syntax defined by the programming language
in your program, then you will get syntax errors. Before attempting another compilation, you will need
to fix them and then proceed.

5.9 Hello World Program in Java

Following is the equivalent program written in Java. This program will also produce the same
result Hello, World!.

public class HelloWorld {

public static void main(String []args) {
/* println() function to write Hello, World! */
System.out.println("Hello, World!");
}
}
Which produces the following result −

Hello, World!

5.10 Hello World Program in Python

Following is the equivalent program written in Python. This program will also produce the same
result Hello, World!.

# print function to write Hello, World! */

print ("Hello, World!")

Which produces the following result −

Hello, World!

Hope you noted that for C and Java examples, first we are compiling the programs and then executing
the produced binaries, but in Python program, we are directly executing it. As we explained in the
previous chapter, Python is an interpreted language and it does not need an intermediate step called
compilation.

Python does not require a semicolon (;) to terminate a statement, rather a new line always means
termination of the statement.