Programming language

A programming language is a formal language used to provide instructions to a computer to perform tasks. Key characteristics:

Define a set of syntax rules to construct computer programs
Use abstractions to manage complexity through modularity
Instructions are interpreted and executed by compilers or interpreters
Enables controlling the behavior of a machine
Supports constructs like variables, control flow, data structures
Thousands have been developed with different strengths

Types include:

Machine languages - Low-level binary instructions
Assembly languages - Slightly more readable shorthand for machine code
High-level languages - Portable languages like Python and Java
Scripting languages - JavaScript, PHP, Ruby for simpler programs
Domain-specific languages - Tailored to fields like SQL for databases

Programming languages allow communicating algorithms to machines. Choosing appropriate languages involves considering the task objective, available tools, performance, portability, and team skills.