My Definition of Programming.
What is Programming? The definitions are so numerous but they all seem to have the same buzz words.
- Instructions
- Computer
- Task.
However, I want to express an opinion. The definitions out there exempt one key part of this process and that is you the programmer.
So here is my definition, from my experience (high and low), working with managers and managing colleagues. Now this is a base definition that you can adapt for Development, Enginering and Coding.
Programming is the act of telling another Programmer what I think I asked a Computer to do.
My reasons follow:
1. Continuous Improvement. One thing that MUST be constant in software programming, development or engineering is that it can always be improved, refactored and optimized. However, this becomes a problem if what has been written is painful to understand. When care is not taken to write software without other programmers in mind, we run the risk of rewriting the whole code. Lots of resources flushed down the toilet.
2. Garbage In Garbage Out. When you write code, and for some strange reason, it does not give the right result, we say, the code has a bug. Yeah but if we take the side of the dispassionate and logical computer, it actually did exactly what you TOLD it to do. The bug therefore is in the programmers thought process. Then we Debug the code or rather rephrase our ask to the PC.
So in support of my opinion my charge to you reading this is code with respect to legibility in mind. The security factor of an application is not dependent on the obscurity of the code (javascript minification is an exception here and focus was on backend code). Returning to the basics of Software Development Planning would also do wonders. Flowcharts, C4 Diagrams, Process Flows etc ensure that fewer mistakes are made, steps can be retraced and continuity is supported.
How do you define Programming? Let’s hear it.
