Pseudocode: What, Why & How?
What?
Pseudocode is often used in many different forms of programming. Wether it may be for app development or web development, Pseudocode is a technique mainly used by developers to explain, and describe what exactly is going on in their code.
As engineers and programmers, many steps are covered when beginning projects, working through code and implementing new ideas. When collaborating with other engineers, it is very important that every one is aware of what is happening in each step of the process. Using Pseudocode can help other collaborators on a project understand where you made adjustments and why. Pseudocode acts as simple plain english within a code that can help explain each step it took to develop that code or algorithm.
Why?
When developers begin building, we must first create a framework to follow that explains what we will be doing and what we are trying to do. A framework must be developed that explains the techniques and concepts that will be utilized in the project.
Pseudocode is valuable because it can provide great understanding of a code or algorithm, it is a good middle point between the code and the developer, and it acts a start point for your documentation.
- Using pseudocode makes it very easy for those communicating on a project to work between different parts easier and more efficiently.
- When programmers are looking at your code, pseudocode will help them have knowledge of what to do and where to add their input.
- Pseudocode can help make all transitions between code and developers very simple.
- When one is ready to begin writing documentation, pseudocode is a great way to start doing just that. It provides a great starting point to developing potential doc ideas because of its instructive form.
The syntax of every programming language also varies, which in turn can make it very hard to understand what is taking place. With pseudocode we can eliminate any misunderstanding or confusion in code.
How?
Everyone has their own unique way of writing pseudocode. Most of the time people create their own style of presenting things, but pseudocode rules are less strict than those of other coding languages. Depending on the writer or developer, pseudocode may vary widely in style from a simple one line description of what is taking place to a detailed step by step breakdown of the code.
START: This is the start of your pseudocode.INPUT: This is data retrieved from the user through typing or through an input device.READ / GET: This is input used when reading data from a data file.PRINT, DISPLAY, SHOW: This will show your output to a screen or the relevant output device.COMPUTE, CALCULATE, DETERMINE: This is used to calculate the result of an expression.SET, INIT: To initialize valuesINCREMENT, BUMP: To increase the value of a variableDECREMENT: To reduce the value of a variableSource
Here are some keywords often used by developers in pseudocode to help simplify the codes and algorithms they have written. Pseudocode is an informal detailed explanation of an application or algorithm, so their is no one way to write pseudocode. Writing clearly and providing clarity are the primary goals of pseudocode.
The three most important things to remember when writing pseudocode are:
- Recognize the intention of the pseudocode
- Map out the functionality of an algorithm or code
- Describe and explain what each line of code should be or is doing
