What is a programming language?
When using a markup language you write, describe and structure the content. Just like writing an email or essay you format a heading larger, highlights in bold or a quote in italic text. So, you annotate text with metadata by adding tags or labels to it. This metadata is interpreted by a computer, so that it can display the information appropriately. Besides HTML, examples for markup languages are Markdown (for writing blog articles or software documentation), LaTeX (for writing scientific papers) or XML (which is similar to HTML, but used as a data exchange format like an Excel file).
On the other hand, a programming language is a different kind of language that computers understand. Just like we humans use languages like English, Spanish, or French to communicate with each other, programmers use programming languages to communicate with computers. These languages have their own rules and syntax, which are like the grammar and vocabulary of the language.
Now, let's talk about algorithms. An algorithm is like a recipe or a set of instructions that tells a computer how to solve a particular problem. Imagine you're making a sandwich. You have a step-by-step process to follow: first, you take two slices of bread, then you spread some peanut butter on one slice, add some jelly on the other slice, and finally, you put the slices together. That's your sandwich-making algorithm!
Similarly, in programming, an algorithm is a series of logical steps that guide the computer to solve a problem or perform a task. It's like giving the computer a set of instructions to follow in a specific order. Programmers create algorithms using programming languages to solve all sorts of problems, from simple calculations to complex tasks like building websites or creating games.
So, in a nutshell, a programming language is the way programmers communicate with computers, and an algorithm is a set of instructions that tells the computer how to solve a problem or perform a task. On the other hand, markup languages are used to format and structure text for display on the web or other applications.
What people think programming is vs. how it actually is