The process of creating a program that works correctly typically requires the five phases. The entire process is known as the program development cycle.
1. Design the
Program: A program should be carefully designed before the code is actually
written.
The process of
designing a program can be summarized in the following two steps:
1.
Understand the task that the program is to perform.
2.
Determine the steps that must be taken to perform the task.
2. Write the Code: After
designing the program, the programmer begins writing code in a high-level
language such as Python. A language’s syntax rules dictate things such as how
key words, operators, and punctuation characters can be used. A syntax error
occurs if the programmer violates any of these rules.
3. Correct Syntax
Errors: If the program contains a syntax error, or even a simple mistake
such as a misspelled key word, the compiler or interpreter will display an error
message indicating what the error is. Once all of the syntax errors and simple
typing mistakes have been corrected, the program can be compiled and translated
into a machine language program (or executed by an interpreter, depending on
the language being used).
4. Test the Program:
Once the code is in an executable form, it is then tested to determine
whether any logic errors exist. A logic error is a mistake that does not
prevent the program from running, but causes it to produce incorrect results.
5. Correct Logic
Errors If the program produces incorrect results, the programmer debugs the
code. This means that the programmer finds and corrects logic errors in the
program.
Sometimes during this
process, the programmer discovers that the program’s original design must be changed.
In this event, the program development cycle starts over and continues until no
errors can be found.