How do you classify the various computer languages
Instructions to the computer are given with the help of computer languages. These languages can be classified as follows
Machine language:
Computer uses the binary system. All data and instructions ultimately have to be converted into a combination of binary digit 0’s and 1’s. Each computer system has its own machine language. The language consists of an instruction set for a computer with a standard format.
Machine language program can be executed directly and additional software is not required for translating the instructions into what the computer can understand. Through machine language is efficient it is rarely used for writing programs, as it is very cumbersome.
Assembly language:
This language was designed to facilitate writing programs. In this method mnemonic codes are used by the programmer rather than binary digits. For ex. Instead of using “0010” which represents the add operation in machine language, programmer use, a mnemonic code “add” directly.
Similarly, a symbolic code for memory address of operand can be used instead of specifying the address in binary system. Auto coder is an example of assembly language used in the IBM -1401 systems.
In spite of some additional advantage, assembly language has remained machine dependent and relatively difficult to use.
High level language:
A high level language is designed to be user friendly, enabling programmers to write instruction using a combination of words in English and in mathematical notations. The language is machine independent and hence the programs can be executed on different machines with very little change.
Ex: COBOL, BASIC, FORTRAN, PASCAL, C