Fundamentals Glossary

Browse 17 fundamentals terms defined in plain English, from the cultural dictionary of computing.

17 Fundamentals Terms

Algorithm
An algorithm is a finite, well-defined sequence of steps or rules that takes an input, performs computation, and produces an output. Algorithms are the...
Arity
The number of arguments or operands that a function, operator, or constructor accepts. A unary function has arity 1, a binary function arity 2, and so on.
Array
A contiguous, indexed collection of elements of the same type stored in memory, providing O(1) random access by index and serving as the foundation for most...
Binary
As a noun, a compiled, executable file containing machine code. As an adjective, relating to the base-2 numeral system (0 and 1) that underpins all digital...
Boolean
A data type with exactly two possible values — true and false — named after mathematician George Boole and forming the basis of conditional logic, bitwise...
Bug
An error, flaw, or unintended behavior in software that causes it to produce incorrect results or behave unexpectedly — famously named after a literal moth...
If-Else
The most fundamental conditional control flow structure in programming, executing one block of code if a condition is true and an alternative block if it is...
Loop
A control flow construct that repeatedly executes a block of code until a specified condition is met, including for-loops, while-loops, and do-while...
Object
Object in programming is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming (OOP) representing a self-contained unit that bundles related data (called...
OOP
Object-Oriented Programming — a paradigm that organizes code around objects containing data and methods, emphasizing encapsulation, inheritance, and...
packet
A formatted unit of data transmitted across a network, containing both a header (with source/destination addresses, sequence numbers, and protocol information)...
Parameter
A named variable in a function or method declaration that acts as a placeholder for data passed in at call time. Parameters define what a function expects;...
Procedure
A named sequence of instructions that performs a specific task, called by name from other code. Distinguished from a function in that a procedure traditionally...
Programming Language
A formal system of syntax, semantics, and type rules used to express computations that can be executed by a machine, either directly through compilation to...
Programming Paradigm
A fundamental style or approach to structuring programs that dictates how computation is modeled — such as imperative (step-by-step mutation), object-oriented...
Pseudo Code
An informal, language-agnostic notation for describing an algorithm's logic using plain language mixed with programming constructs like loops, conditionals,...
Variable
A named storage location that holds a value which can be referenced and (in mutable languages) changed during program execution. The most fundamental building...

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