What Is Coding and What Is It Used For | ComputerScience.org
What Is Coding and What Is It Used For?
by Vanesha McGeeWritten by
Vanesha McGee
Contributing Writer
Vanesha McGee has a decade of experience as an educator and five years of professional writing expertise. She is also a photographer and poet, producing creative pieces that uplift stories of the Black community. Vanesha holds a master of science inLearn about our editorial process .
Updated August 9, 2024
Reviewed by Monali Mirel ChuaticoReviewed by
Monali Mirel Chuatico
Contributing Reviewer
Monali Chuatico is a data engineer at Mission Lane and a data analytics captain at the nonprofit COOP Careers. There, Monali helps new grads and young professionals overcome underemployment by teaching them data analytics tools and mentoring them onLearn about our editorial process .
Our Integrity Network
ComputerScience.org is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers.
Drawing on their firsthand industry expertise, our Integrity Network members serve as an additional step in our editing process, helping us confirm our content is accurate and up to date. These contributors:
Suggest changes to inaccurate or misleading information. Provide specific, corrective feedback. Identify critical information that writers may have missed.Integrity Network members typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for ComputerScience.org as a side project. All Integrity Network members are paid members of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.
Explore our full list of Integrity Network members.
Programming Language Learn to Code Coding Careers What is coding? Learn how coding works, and explore everyday uses of the skill for creating websites and apps. Credit: skynesher / E+ / Getty ImagesComputerScience.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
Are you ready to discover your college program?
Credit: skynesher / E+ / Getty ImagesElectronic devices like cell phones, laptops, and tablets require code to function properly. Coding allows humans to communicate with these devices. Modern technology such as traffic lights, calculators, smart TVs, and cars use internal coding systems.
Since computers do not communicate like humans, coding acts as a translator. Code converts human input into numerical sequences that computers understand. Once computers receive these messages, they complete assigned tasks such as changing font colors or centering an image.
Read on to learn about how people use code to communicate with computers and develop electronic devices, machines, and other technologies.
How Does Coding Work?
Computer programming languages, developed through a series of numerical or alphabetic codes, instruct machines to complete specific actions. Computer coding functions much like a manual.
A programmer or developer writes instructions describing the information and tasks needed to create a visual or to perform a task. Computers scan extensive coded manuals very quickly, executing the tasks that create and run a successful website or application. Displaying an image or section of text, changing font styles, and opening emails all require instructions included in the coded manual.
Users interact with websites and apps with the help of these coded instructions. The code itself does not show up on the screen. Instead, people see the words and images a developer or programmer asks the computer to display.
Coding tells a machine which actions to perform and how to complete tasks. Programming languages provide the rules for building websites, apps, and other computer-based technologies. Each programming language helps humans accurately communicate with machines.
Types of Programming Languages
Binary code comprises a series of zeros and ones, used to communicate instructions. This code is a low-level programming language. Each digit in a coded sequence connects to a switch in your computer. Each switch connects to an action, and together thousands of switches operate a device.
High-level code, a computer communication process that works much like human language, allows programmers to operate entire systems simultaneously. High-level programming languages convert human language from programmers into binary code that computers understand.
Develop computer coding skills Find coding apps for beginnersWhat Is Coding Used For?
Developers use a variety of programming languages to build websites and applications. Front-end developers typically use HTML, CSS, or JavaScript code to create website layouts and design functions.
Websites with user accounts, like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, require back-end developers to write computer code that connects websites to databases. Back-end developers often write code using languages such as SQL, Java, and Python.
Developers use other languages like Python , Objective-C, C# , Swift , or Ruby on Rails to create apps for cell phones and computer software.
Below, we list popular programming languages and their most common uses.
C:
Used for developing software operating systems and databases
Python:
Used for building websites and software programs and performing data analysis
HTML:
Used for creating the structures of a webpage, like paragraphs, links, and tables
Ruby on Rails:
Used for developing websites and applications and performing data analysis
C++:
Used for creating and developing games
C#:
Used for creating desktop applications and web services
Scala:
Used for data engineering, data processing, and web development support
Perl:
Used for text manipulation, web development, and network programming
PHP:
Used for managing databases and creating dynamic webpages
SQL:
Used for communicating with databases and managing and organizing data
JavaScript:
Used for creating webpages and supporting front-end and back-end development
Swift:
Used for creating apps, most commonly for Apple platforms
Objective-C:
Used for writing software for Apple products
Explore common coding termsLearning How to Code
Coding requires critical thinking and creativity. Learning to code may prove a difficult computer science practice for some, but it can also be rewarding. Whether you want to create your own website or step into a computer science career, there are multiple options to learn coding skills.
Bootcamps Coding bootcamps offer beginners and advanced learners short-term courses from expert teachers. Students receive regular practice opportunities to apply their new and developing knowledge. Degree Programs Web development degree programs and computer programming degrees provide intensive, long-term learning opportunities for students seeking a four-year education. Degree programs also connect students to internship opportunities and can provide ongoing career support. MOOCs Massive open online courses offer professionally taught courses. Most MOOCs are free, with videos and lessons you can view as often as desired. Many prestigious colleges and universities provide MOOCs across a wide variety of topics. Self-Guided You can teach yourself to code through a variety of flexible options. Website platforms like Treehouse and W3Schools and apps such as Mimo and CodeAcademy teach coding skills and programming languages through self-paced tutorials. Discover free coding bootcamps Explore degrees in computer science Find organizations for Black codersCareers in Coding
From 2021-2031, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a much-faster-than-average growth rate for software and web development jobs. Securing these jobs means having a solid foundation in coding. These skills enhance your portfolio for careers in and outside the tech industry.
Jobs in computer science significantly benefit from coding skills. Career options that use coding include web developers , software engineers , and game developers . After attending a bootcamp, you can gain experience in junior-level positions before advancing into higher-level roles.
You can expand your career options with advanced education. Consider a computer science degree program or specialized MOOCs to increase your skills and enhance your resume.
Stepping into a coding career places you in the center of technological advancement and offers a wide variety of career options to pursue. Find the right computer science career path for you and begin your coding journey.
Reviewed on Jan 21, 2022
Recommended Reading
Take the next step toward your future.
Discover programs you’re interested in and take charge of your education.
Rankings Certifications Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree Doctorate Programs See All Degrees Bachelor's in IT Doctorate Programs in IT Associate in Computer Programming Associate in Software Engineering See All Careers Computer Information Researcher Data Science Health Information Technician Systems Analyst See All States Texas California Virginia Michigan See All Resources Women in Computer Science Coding Bootcamps Jobs in Computer Science Computer Programming Languages See All © 2024 ComputerScience.org, a Red Ventures Company About Us Sitemap Privacy Policy Advertising Disclosure Advertise Contact Methodology Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information Cookie Settings Terms of Service Consumer Health Data Privacy Policy