Technology / Programming Glossary

Algorithm: Process/routine/method to solve a problem

Analog Pin: On the arduino, the analog pins enable reading of voltage. The voltage on the pin is interpreted as an integer value in the range of 0 to 1,023.

Argument: Extra information which the computer uses to perform commands. Some commands have stricter requirements than others. Some do not require all arguments but have optional arguments.

Array: An array is a collection of variables that are accessed with an index number. An array is declared with a length or with initializers that determine the length. The following code declares a . . . View Full Definition

Ascii: American standard code for information interchange (ascii) is a set of definitions for 128 characters: 33 are nonprinting control characters that affect how text is processed, 94 are printab . . . View Full Definition

Assignment: Giving a value to a variable. If a variable is seen as a container for data, assignment is filling the container with meaning, or value.

Associated Type: An associated type is a type that is used to describe the requirements of a concept, but is not actually a parameter to the concept. For instance, the reference type returned when dereferenc . . . View Full Definition

Attributes: Within a class, an attribute is a defined quality of that class. It is similar in function to a string or integer variable but, because it is inextricably related to the class in which it is . . . View Full Definition

Bang Line: In interpreted languages such as python, one is allowed to tell the computer where to find the python interpreter. By doing so, one need not tell it explicitly at the time of running the program.

Bitwise: Operations bitwise operations work at the bit level of variables. These are the and (&) operator (not to be confused with the reference operator, which looks the same but is used differently . . . View Full Definition

Block: Chunk of code between curly braces {}

Boolean: Boolean variables or bool hold one of two values: true and false represented as 1 and 0, respectively. They are the same in c++, arduino, and processing.

Byte: In both processing and arduino, the byte stores an 8-bit number, from 0 to 255. Byte is an unsigned datatype, so it does not store negative numbers.

Capacitor: Capacitors are another element used to control the flow of charge in a circuit. The name derives from their capacity to store a charge. Capacitors consist of two conducting surfaces separate . . . View Full Definition

Cast: A cast translates one variable type into another and forces calculations to be performed in the cast type. It uses the () operator and looks like this: (type)variable. For instance: int i:, . . . View Full Definition

Cgi: Short for the common gateway interface. Cgi specifies the way a web browser (client) can request or send information to a website (server). Cgi was intended to standardize the way the browse . . . View Full Definition

Char: A char takes up 1 byte of memory and stores a character value written in single quotes, like 'a'. The char stores the characters in ascii as numbers, which means a char can be used for arith . . . View Full Definition

Class: A class is a prototype for an object in processing or c++. It can be used to create an instance of that class that will have its constructor called when it is created. In c++, for instance, . . . View Full Definition

Classes: Classes are blueprints for commonly used and related variables and functions. An instance of a class is called an object. Classes are the bedrock of object-oriented programming.

Comment: Comments help you understand (or remember) how your program works or inform others how your program works. There are two different ways of marking a line as a comment: // this is a single-li . . . View Full Definition

Comments: /* label your code, write yourself a note! */

Comparison: Comparison operators are operators that compare two values, like != (not equal to) or == (equal to), for instance. 3 == 4 returns false (because 3 is not equal to 4), while 7.8 != 9 returns . . . View Full Definition

Compiler Error: An error that causes the compiler to produce an error message and fail

Concatenate: To combine two or more strings such that they become a new string value.

Concept: A concept contains a set of requirements that describe a family of abstractions, typically data types. Examples of concepts include input iterator, graph, and equality comparable.

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