Reference

Last updated on 2024-10-14 | Edit this page

Glossary

Here are the definitions of common technical terminology used throughout this course.

Syntax
The rules that determine the structure of the words and symbols in a programming language.
Developer
A person who writes software
Installation
The process of putting software onto a computer
Editor
A software tool for modifying plain text files
IDE
An Integrated Development Environment is a powerful source code editor and debugging tool designed for software engineers
Developer
A software engineer who’s contributing to a softare project
Codebase
All the code, functions, and files within a software project
Software documentation
Written guidance for users of a computer system to understanding how to utilise it.
Package
A collection of code and functions that is bundled together and distributed for other people to use.
Type
The data structure that defines the set of values that a variable may contain.
Static analysis
“a software verification activity that analyses source code for quality, reliability, and security without executing the code.” — MATLAB “What Is Static Code Analysis?”
Command-line interface (CLI)
A way of running software by typing text instructions into a terminal
Terminal
A text prompt that is used to enter commands into a computer
Graphical user interface (GUI)
A visual way to provide instructions to a computer by manipulating buttons and icons.
Operating system
Manages the files (data storage), software, and hardware that make up the computer and its services.
Documentation site
A software documentation website is a structured guide to using a library of research code.
Linter
A system that analyses code for potential errors.

Further resources