Question

Words that have special meaning in a programming language are called _______________ words.

Short answer

Answer: The term is called "keywords" or "reserved words."

Step-by-step solution

Identify the term for special words in programming languages

The term for words that have special meaning in a programming language is called "keywords" or "reserved words." These words are predefined and reserved by the programming language for a specific purpose or functionality. Examples of these keywords include "if," "else," "while," "for," and "function" in various programming languages.

Key concepts

Reserved Words

In the world of programming, certain words are known as "reserved words" or "keywords." These words are essential building blocks of a programming language, as they hold specific meanings that the programming language system recognizes and uses to conduct operations.
Reserved words are predefined and cannot be used for anything other than their intended purpose within the language.
For instance, try using the word "if" as a variable name, and you will encounter an error because "if" is set aside to launch a conditional statement.

• Examples of reserved words include: if, else, switch, for, while.
• They help define the structure and control flow of a program.
• Each programming language has its own set of reserved words, though you may find similarities among different languages.

Programming Language Syntax

Syntax in programming refers to the set of rules that defines the combinations of symbols that are considered to be correctly structured programs.
Think of syntax as the grammar of a programming language. Just like sentences in English need correct punctuation and structure, programs need proper syntax to be understood by computers.
Ensuring a program is syntactically correct is crucial; even a small mistake, such as a missing semicolon, can cause errors.

• Proper syntax involves the correct arrangement of keywords, operators, and syntax-specific symbols.
• Each language has its own unique syntax, though concepts like assigning values with an "=" or terminating statements with ";" are fairly common.
• Learning syntax is fundamental for coding, as it enables programmers to write functional and efficient code.

Predefined Functions

Predefined functions, sometimes known as built-in functions, are a set of functions provided by a programming language that can be used to perform specific tasks without the need for the programmer to implement them from scratch.
These functions are invaluable as they save time and effort, allowing programmers to leverage existing, efficient implementations.
Predefined functions can carry out various tasks, ranging from mathematical operations to data manipulation.

• Examples include functions like print() in Python to display output or len() to find the length of a data structure.
• These functions have standardized inputs and outputs, making them reliable and easy to use.
• Predefined functions increase productivity by streamlining the coding process, allowing developers to focus on more complex aspects of program development.