Computer programming is an exciting, ever changing field that is growing and changing each day. Computer programs are highly skilled even though they are not always highly trained. Some computer programmers have self-taught all that they know and are still very good at computer programming.
Computer programming is often just called coding or programming. It is done when a user designs, tests, fixes or maintains the code of computer programs which is the set of instructions that make the program operate. These computer program codes can be written in several different computer programming languages. Each language utilizes different functions and purposes to help the computer program know what it is supposed to do.
The first functional computer programming language was called FORTRAN and was developed in 1954. Up until then, all programming was just an idea for a design on paper. With FORTRAN, programmers could use a formula that they entered directly into the program which was then changed into instructions for the machine. They called this process Formula Translation and from it, many other programming languages were developed. COBOL was the programming language developed for commercial computer programming and today many other types of programming languages exist.
An important component of computer programming is called Debugging. The term ?bug? was first used back in 1947 and was meant to identify a software defect. Debugging is necessary to find incorrect language or program instructions that prohibit the software or computer from functioning as it should.
Computer programming is a necessary, complicated, and interesting profession. In our society in America we need thousands and thousands of computer programmers to help keep things running as they should.