|
Pseudocode is a generic way of describing an algorithm without use of any specific programming language syntax. It is, as the name suggests, pseudo code — it cannot be executed on a real computer, but it models and resembles real programming code, and is written at roughly the same level of detail.
Pseudocode, by nature, exists in various forms, although most borrow syntax from popular programming languages (like C, Lisp, or Fortran). Natural language is used whenever details are unimportant or distracting.
Computer science textbooks often use pseudocode in their examples so that all programmers can understand them, even if they do not all know the same programming languages. Since pseudocode style varies from author to author, there is usually an accompanying introduction explaining the syntax used.
See also
|
