Programming paradigm: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 06:30, 16 February 2025

Overview[edit]

A programming paradigm is a fundamental style of computer programming that provides a way of building the structure and elements of computer programs. Paradigms are based on distinct concepts and methodologies, and they influence the way programmers think about and solve problems.

Types of Programming Paradigms[edit]

Programming paradigms can be broadly classified into several categories, each with its own unique approach to program design and implementation.

Imperative Programming[edit]

Imperative programming is a paradigm that uses statements to change a program's state. It focuses on describing how a program operates, using constructs such as loops, conditionals, and variables. This paradigm is closely related to the Von Neumann architecture of computers.

Declarative Programming[edit]

Declarative programming is a paradigm that expresses the logic of a computation without describing its control flow. It focuses on what the program should accomplish rather than how to accomplish it. Examples include functional programming and logic programming.

Functional Programming[edit]

Functional programming is a paradigm that treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoids changing-state and mutable data. It emphasizes the application of functions, often using higher-order functions and recursion.

Object-Oriented Programming[edit]

Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a paradigm based on the concept of "objects", which can contain data and code to manipulate that data. OOP is centered around the principles of encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism.

Logic Programming[edit]

Logic programming is a paradigm based on formal logic. Any computation is expressed as logical statements, and the execution of a program is the process of proving these statements. Prolog is a well-known logic programming language.

Procedural Programming[edit]

Procedural programming is a paradigm derived from structured programming, based on the concept of procedure calls. Procedures, also known as routines, subroutines, or functions, contain a series of computational steps to be carried out.

Related Pages[edit]

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-'''Programming paradigm''' is a style or "way" of programming. Some languages make it easy to write in some paradigms but not others. Never force a [[Programming language|programming language]] to fit a paradigm it was not designed for.
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:Programming Paradigm}}
 == Overview ==
+A '''programming paradigm''' is a fundamental style of [[computer programming]] that provides a way of building the structure and elements of [[computer programs]]. Paradigms are based on distinct concepts and methodologies, and they influence the way programmers think about and solve problems.
-A '''programming paradigm''' is a fundamental style of computer programming. Paradigms differ in the concepts and abstractions used to represent the elements of a program (such as objects, functions, variables, constraints) and the steps that compose a computation (such as assignations, evaluation, continuations, data flows).
+[[File:Programming paradigms.svg|thumb|right|Diagram illustrating various programming paradigms]]
-== History ==
-The first programming paradigm was probably the [[machine code]] paradigm, where programmers directly wrote sequences of numbers to represent computations. This was followed by the [[assembly language]] paradigm, which allowed programmers to use symbolic representations of machine code.
 == Types of Programming Paradigms ==
+Programming paradigms can be broadly classified into several categories, each with its own unique approach to program design and implementation.
-There are several different types of programming paradigms used in the industry today. Some of the most common ones include:
+=== Imperative Programming ===
+[[Imperative programming]] is a paradigm that uses statements to change a program's state. It focuses on describing how a program operates, using constructs such as loops, conditionals, and variables. This paradigm is closely related to the [[Von Neumann architecture]] of computers.
-* [[Procedural programming]]: This is a type of programming where the logic of the program is built around procedures or routines. The main focus is on the process rather than data.
+=== Declarative Programming ===
+[[Declarative programming]] is a paradigm that expresses the logic of a computation without describing its control flow. It focuses on what the program should accomplish rather than how to accomplish it. Examples include [[functional programming]] and [[logic programming]].
-* [[Object-oriented programming]]: This paradigm is centered around objects and data rather than logic and procedures. It's one of the most commonly used paradigms today.
+=== Functional Programming ===
+[[Functional programming]] is a paradigm that treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoids changing-state and mutable data. It emphasizes the application of functions, often using [[higher-order functions]] and [[recursion]].
-* [[Functional programming]]: This paradigm treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoids changing-state and mutable data.
+=== Object-Oriented Programming ===
+[[Object-oriented programming]] (OOP) is a paradigm based on the concept of "objects", which can contain data and code to manipulate that data. OOP is centered around the principles of [[encapsulation]], [[inheritance]], and [[polymorphism]].
-* [[Logic programming]]: This paradigm is primarily used in artificial intelligence and mathematical programming. It's based on formal logic and allows you to express computations declaratively.
+=== Logic Programming ===
+[[Logic programming]] is a paradigm based on formal logic. Any computation is expressed as logical statements, and the execution of a program is the process of proving these statements. [[Prolog]] is a well-known logic programming language.
-* [[Concurrent programming]]: This paradigm is designed for programs that are made up of many active processes. It's often used in operating systems and real-time systems.
+=== Procedural Programming ===
+[[Procedural programming]] is a paradigm derived from structured programming, based on the concept of procedure calls. Procedures, also known as routines, subroutines, or functions, contain a series of computational steps to be carried out.
-== See Also ==
+== Related Pages ==
+* [[Computer programming]]
-* [[Comparison of programming paradigms]]
+* [[Software engineering]]
 * [[Programming language]]
-* [[Software development methodology]]
+* [[Algorithm]]
-== References ==
-{{reflist}}
 [[Category:Programming paradigms]]
-[[Category:Computer programming]]
-[[Category:Software engineering]]
-{{Computer-stub}}