REAL-LIFE SKILLS CHOOSING THE BEST PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE FOR YOUR TASK There is not one ideal programming language that works for every situation. For this reason, it is a good idea to have your task clearly in mind before choosing the language. Here are a series of steps to help you make the right choice. STEP 1: Defining the task 5 Answer these questions. Do you need to create a website or something similar? Do you need to write the content (text) or a website? Do you need to interrogate a database? Do you have to write a program as a series of steps, like for example creating a calculator? Do you need to build a program around an object, for example making a ball move in a game? STEP 2: Choosing the type of language 6 Match the situations from the previous activity with an appropriate type of language and identify the one that you need for your specific task. STEP 3: Selecting the language 7 Once you have identified the type of programming language that you need, you will have to choose among the different ones that you know. Complete the table. Type of language Languages Procedural languages Query languages Mark-up or declarative languages Scripting languages Object-oriented languages ........................................................................................ The language for my task: STEP 4: Code writing 8 GROUP WORK: As a group, choose a common task. Work individually to go through the various steps described above, then compare your answers to the previous activity and answer the following questions. Do you all know the same languages? Did you choose the same programming language for the common task? If not, would you change your mind now? 9 Once they start using a new programming language or a new program, programmers like to make the computer say, “Hello world!”. Write the code for “Hello world!” in as many languages as you know and check your answer with the class.