CODING AND PROGRAMMING

What is Coding?

Coding simple means writing codes and a coder is an individual who codes from one language to another.  Coding is also programming but it’s used to implement the initial steps of computer programming. The term programming is used in a much broader sense, unlike coding which basically involves writing codes in various languages as instructed. Computers don’t interact in our language; it only understands the machine code, which is the binary language. So what a coder does is translate the requirements into a language that a machine will understand. They are more of a language oriented programmers who translate logics into machine-readable codes.

A coder produces codes at a production level which means he has to have a thorough understanding of the ABC of the language he’s writing in. However, they don’t code on their own; in fact, they receive instructions on what to do and what needs to be accomplished followed by implementation, debugging, testing, and QA. Well it’s easier to code than to program which makes the job of a coder much easier to master. These instructions are generally called “source code”. It’s just a set of written instructions a machine will easily understand. However, writing code is just one part of creating software. This is where programming comes to the picture.

What is Programming?

Programming means to program a machine or application to run without any errors. Programming is the common term used to describe the process of feeding machine with a set of instructions to perform. In simple terms, programming means perfecting a recipe – you manipulate ingredients to cook a recipe, whereas a computer manipulates data to accomplish a task following a set of commands. For instance, take a coffee machine. You can program the machine to be coffee-ready by 9:15 AM. Or take radio, for that matter; you can program the radio to play your favorite channels. Programming is the bigger picture here which involves more than just writing codes.

A programmer creates things, develops logic, and analyzes a problem. Writing code is just the beginning steps of what makes up the tasks of a programmer. While a coder codes at an intermediate level, a programmer works actively on the abstract solutions to a potential problem that may or may not pertain along the process. The idea is to rectify even the slightest problem that can possibly ruin the code and lay out the perfect plan accordingly to navigate the project through its successful implementation without any bugs and errors. The job of a programmer is to craft solutions to problems that may or may not occur. It takes years for an individual to become a professional programmer. They can work as developers, coders, analysts, and more.