Software Design Programming Constructs: Programming Paradigms Quiz

Programming Paradigms

• A programming paradigm is a style or way of programming, and different languages make it easier to write in certain paradigms.

Procedural Programming

• Also known as imperative programming, it is based on the concept of procedure calls.
• Statements are structured into procedures (functions or subroutines) that are a list of instructions to tell the computer what to do step by step.
• Procedural programming languages are known as top-down languages.
• Examples of procedural programming languages include Fortran, C, and Cobol.
• Features of procedural programming include:
  • Excellent for general-purpose programming
  • Coded simplicity and ease of implementation of compilers and interpreters
  • Large variety of books and online course material available on tested algorithms
  • Source code is portable
  • Code can be reused in different parts of the program
  • Program flow can be tracked easily with a top-down approach

Logical Programming

• Based on mathematical logic, where program statements express facts and rules about problems within a system.
• Rules are written as logical clauses with a head and a body.
• Follows a declarative approach rather than an imperative approach.
• Features of logical programming include:
  • Can express knowledge in a way that does not depend on the implementation
  • Programs are more flexible, compressed, and understandable
  • Enables knowledge to be separated from use
  • Can be altered and extended in natural ways to support special forms of knowledge
  • Can be used in non-computational disciplines relying on reasoning and precise means of expression
• Prolog is an example of a language that follows the logical paradigm.

Functional Programming

• A programming paradigm where computation is treated as an evaluation of mathematical functions.
• Avoids changing-state and mutable data.
• Features of functional programming include:
  • Pure functions: output depends only on the input
  • Recursion: a function that calls itself during its execution
  • Referential transparency: an expression can be replaced with its corresponding value without changing the program's behavior
  • Functions are first-class and can be higher-order
  • Variables are immutable

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

• A framework where all real-world entities are represented by classes.
• Objects are instances of classes, and each object encapsulates a state and behavior.
• Features of OOP include:
  • Encapsulation: hiding unnecessary details in classes and delivering a simple and clear interface
  • Inheritance: a mechanism where a class can be derived from another class for a hierarchy of classes
  • Data Abstraction: reducing a particular body of data to a simplified representation
  • Polymorphism: the ability of a variable, function, or object to take on multiple forms

Other Paradigms

• Imperative: programming with an explicit sequence of commands that update state
• Declarative: programming by specifying the result you want, not how to get it
• Structured: programming with clean, goto-free, nested control structures
• Procedural: imperative programming with procedure calls