Intro to Programming (IT Students)
Back in my College days (not long ago), our teachers remind us to search first about the definition of a programming language before we get our hands dirty into coding. In this way, we’ll understand the difference of each PL’s and which one to use for a specific project. I wish I could say that I took their lovely words to the bottom of my heart, but to tell you honestly... never did I put their advice into consideration. I only learned my lesson on the first day of work. When someone asked me the difference between PHP and HTML, all I said was “err.. uh...can I just show you the codes, Sir?“ How silly isn’t it? :D
Although, I know that these two have different set of codes and attributes; and both are needed to be able to run a successful web-pages that can store data. Still am not sure how exactly these two differ from one another. It took me sometime (revisiting my old...not THAT old, College notes and a quick google search) to know that PHP is a server side PL while HTML is just a markup to call objects into a browser and not a real PL.
Here are some of the few things, you IT students should know about before you start coding. So you won’t end up like me in your first day at work. Should somebody asks you about the same thing ;)
What is PHP?
PHP recursive acronym for Hypertext Preprocessor - is a scripting language, that can be used to create dynamic web pages. PHP runs on the server side (the system from which the page comes), and is a full-fledged programming language.
HTML or Hypertext Markup Language - is a language used to describe to a browser how to display text and other objects in a browser window. However, it is not a programming language. HTML works on a client computer/browser (the system on which the page is being viewed).
Javascript - It supports object-oriented programming and procedural programming. It can be used to control web pages on the client side of the browser, server-side programs, and even mobile applications and adds spice to a web page by triggering events that make simple-sophisticated animation.
Difference of Javascript and Node.JS
Node.js is an interpreter and environment for javascript which includes a bunch of libraries for using javascript as a general-purpose programming language, with an emphasis on asynchronicity and non-blocking operations. It is not a programming language itself. But it helps the javascript to be run outside a browser.
Javascript is a programming language designed to be specifically used in a browser.
CSS (Cascade Styling Sheets) - is responsible for the design or style of the website, including the layout, visual effects and background color.
XML - is the acronym from Extensible Markup Language (meta-language of noting/marking). XML is a resembling language with HTML. It was developed for describing data. The XML tags are not pre-defined in XML.
Difference between XML and HTML
Aside from the fact that XML tags are not predefined like HTML’s. XML and HTML have two different characteristics: XML was designed to carry data - with the sole focus on what that data is. While HTML was designed to display data - focusing on how to present that data on your browser.
What is MVC?
Model-View-Controller - is a software architectural pattern for implementing user interfaces on computers. It divides a given application into three interconnected parts in order to separate internal representations of information from the ways that information is presented to and accepted from the user.
ASP.NET MVC - is a framework specifically for building web applications that separates your code for design/graphic and your code for internal functions. It makes the application lightweight and highly testable by integrating it with existing ASP.NET features, such as master pages, authentication, etc.
Difference of Java and Javascript:
Key differences between Java and JavaScript: Java is an OOP programming language while Java Script is an OOP scripting language. Java creates applications that run in a virtual machine or browser while JavaScript code is run on a browser only. Java code needs to be compiled while JavaScript code are all in text.
Difference of Console and GUI
A CLI, or command-line interface, is a way to interact with a computer by typing text commands into a terminal window. A GUI, or graphical user interface, allows a user to interact with a computer by using a keyboard or mouse to manipulate visual elements on the screen.
Difference of VB.Net and VB6
VB had its own runtime, where VB.NET is one of many languages that use the more modern .NET Framework. The greatest change in VB6 and VB.NET is of runtime environment. VB6 used the VB-Runtime while VB.NET uses the .Net Common Language Runtime (.Net CLR). The CLR is much better designed and implemented than VB-Runtime.
Application Program Interface (API) - is a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. An API specifies how software components should interact. Additionally, APIs are used when programming graphical user interface (GUI) components.
Virtual Machine (VM) - is an emulation of a computer system. Virtual machines are based on computer architectures and provide functionality of a physical computer. Their implementations may involve specialized hardware, software, or a combination.
Hope this might help. ~_^.