• Programming languages can be divided into the following three types.

Types Programming Languages[1] Machine language:

  • Machine language is the only language that can be understood by the computer.
  • It contains two symbols,0 and 1.
  • Each command in a machine language contains a series of 0’s and 1’s.
  • Programming in machine language is much more complex because we have to remember each and every binary code for the programming language commands.
  • A machine language program executes much faster compare to the programs written in other languages.
  • It does not require translator program to convert from programming language to machine language code.
  • It is difficult to perform debugging process because we have to check entire program code to find out errors.
  • It is also difficult to perform modification in the program written in machine language.

[2] Low level language:

  • A low level programming language is one step above the machine language. In assembly language we use pre-defined keywords instead of binary code.
  • These keywords are known as pneumonic op-code.
  • Pneumonicop-codes are easier to remember compare to machine code, because they are in a string format.
  • It needs an assembler program to convert pneumonic op-code to its binary code.
  • An assembler performs translation of pneumonic op-code into its binary representation at compile time.
  • Since program has to convert into its machine code, execution speed of an assembly program is slower than machine language program.
  • Programming in assembly language is easy compare to machine language because programmer does not need to remember each andevery binary code.
  • Simple pneumonic op-code such as move, add, copy are use which are easy to remember.
  • Debugging process is also easy compare to machine language.
  • Modification in program is also easy.

[3] High level language:

  • High level programming language is one step above the low level language.
  • It is much more easy compare to machine level language and low level language.
  • It uses simple English like statements.
  • Finding and solving error is also easy in high level language.
  • Modification can be performing easily without looking to entire program.
  • It needs to be converted from high level language to machine level language for the execution.
  • A program such as compiler and interpreter are required to convert high level program into machine language.
  • Program written in high level language has the slowest execution speed.
  • Examples of high level programming languages are C, C++, Java, PHP, etc.