What makes Coding different from Programming?

What makes Coding different from Programming?
What makes Coding different from Programming?

Introduction

How many times have you wondered, “what is the difference between Coding & Programming?” Or even if you haven’t thought about it, now you must be, right? Well, I know how to play with your mind!

Now that you are thinking about the question, I will explain the difference between these two. Which took me a while to understand but don’t worry, I am good at explaining! 😉 

First, let’s understand both separately.


What is Coding?

Coding is defined as the act of translating instructions for a computer from human language to a language a machine can understand. This code tells the computer how to behave and what actions to perform. 

Didn’t get it? Basically, coding allows us to do all the cool stuff we do every day. It lets us work with mobile apps, use different software and operating systems, play the games we love, and even visit websites. 

What is Programming?

Programming is the act of designing and developing a logical software solution to a problem statement. It involves designing and developing the algorithms and flowcharts and implementing the solution using a programming language.

To make it easier for you to understand, think about the remote controller for your TV, yes, the one you keep on hitting when it doesn’t work. The remote waits for you to give it instructions by pressing different buttons, which then tell the TV to perform a specific task (like changing the channel, increasing the volume, and so on). Well, in the same way, programmers can instruct a computer to do various things.

The Difference between Coding and Programming

Let’s discuss the difference on the basis of main categories that will help us to understand them better.

CategoriesCodingProgramming
TerminologyCoding deals with writing codes in such a language that are understood by both computers and humans. The main aim is to create communication between computers and humans. Programming involves designing a plan for a program’s code that follows certain standards before the actual code is written for the task it needs to perform.
Tools in use
Coding requires simple tools and simple syntax (like Notepad, or something more complex and feature-rich like Visual Studio Code, Sublime, Atom, or Vim)Programming requires a large number of tools and syntax (like advanced code editors, analysis tools, debuggers, modeling frameworks)
The Knowledge LevelAs a coder, you need to have a basic knowledge of programming language and its syntax. As a programmer, you need to have more extensive knowledge, you need to know how to create and work with algorithms, and how to design a website, debug, and test your code.
The Final ResultThe end result is typically a simple solution that, after compiling, will give your desired output. For example, converting PDF to audio is a simple solution.A programmer works on creating a piece of software or an application for the market. They are also responsible for maintaining and following up on what they create to ensure it continues to run smoothly.

Now, that you know the difference, let’s talk about how these two work together. 

How do Coding and Programming work together?

To get a better understanding, let’s try a real scenario where you’ll need both coding and programming to work closely together. 

You have been asked to create an app that you can use to keep track of your daily routine or your daily expenses. You will accomplish this using the concept of merging the two worlds. 

For this, you’ll need a programmer who can plan the structure of the app, write down the main features of the app and design the app. After the programmer is done with their part of the work, the coder comes in. Where they take the ideas of the programmer and create and transform them into machine-readable code to perform the task specified. 

After the process of coding, the programmer comes back, where s/he assesses the code, checks for errors, run tests, and check whether everything is working correctly. If all checks are successful, the application is now ready for deployment and maintenance.

In the end, coders and programmers don’t need to be separate people; they can be one. 

By this time, you have a clear idea about the difference between a coder and a programmer because I told you, I am good at explaining stuff! 😉

Now, it’s your job to figure out in what world you belong; the coder or the programmer world. And, if you want to be in the world of a coder, you know where to get started- Coding Ninjas!

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