Question

Words or names defined by the programmer are called ____________.

Short answer

Answer: Identifiers or Variable names.

Step-by-step solution

Answer

The term used to describe words or names defined by a programmer is called "Identifiers" or "Variable names". These are used to represent values, functions, objects, or any other user-defined items in a program, allowing for the organization and understanding of the code.

Key concepts

Variable Names

Variable names are a fundamental part of programming. They act as labels for storing and accessing data within a program. Think of them like personal names: they help identify specific pieces of information that you can use throughout your code.

When choosing a variable name, consider the following tips:

• Make them descriptive: Descriptive names help understand what kind of data the variable holds.
• Avoid reserved words: Keywords in programming languages cannot be used as variable names.
• Use consistent naming conventions: Follow language-specific conventions like camelCase or snake_case for clarity.

Using clear and consistent variable names enhances readability and helps you and others understand the purpose and logic behind your code.

Programming Terms

Understanding programming terms is crucial for learning to code. These terms are the vocabulary of programming and act as the glue between coding concepts and their implementation.

Here are a few important terms you should know:

• Functions: Reusable blocks of code that perform specific tasks and help in code organization.
• Objects: Instances of classes that hold data and methods in object-oriented programming.
• Identifiers: Names used to uniquely identify a variable or function in your code.

Having a grasp of programming terms allows you to better understand documentation and communicate effectively with other developers.

Code Organization

Organizing your code helps in maintaining and scaling projects. It's all about structuring your code in a way that makes it easy to read, debug, and extend.

Consider these strategies for effective code organization:

• Modularization: Split your code into modules or files, each responsible for a specific feature or function.
• Naming conventions: Use consistent naming conventions for files, functions, and variables.
• Comments: Use comments to explain complex logic or important sections of code.

Proper code organization not only makes collaboration easier but also helps in identifying and fixing bugs quickly and efficiently.