Pseudocode
When you begin a coding project, it can seem daunting to sit down and think about how to go from nothing to a
fully finished, working app or webpage. One of
the methods that programmers use to make this process easier is writing pseudocode. Pseudocode helps to break
down the project into steps that are easy to
understand and isolate.
What is pseudocode?
Pseudocode is the very first stage of programming, but it remains useful throughout the coding process.
Initially, pseudocode is used to define the problem
in plain, human-readable language in order to brainstorm a solution. The next step is to outline a 'code' in
plain language (i.e. 'I will use a for loop
from 0 to 10 to double each number'). This is used to inform the coding process as line of pseudocode are turned
into actual code. As the code develops
and errors are encountered, the pseudocode can be used to brainstorm fixes or changes to the original idea.
In addition to brainstorming code, pseudocode can also contain general information such as a list of what else
needs to be done on the project or even lines
of positive self-talk to help the programmer through the process.
How does pseudocode help with programming?
Pseudocode makes programming much easier in a variety of ways. Firstly, it helps to break down the project into
smaller steps that the programmer can focus
on one at a time. This makes it easier to avoid getting overwhelmed by the scale of the project since the
progammer is focused on just getting the current
step done and working. Within each step, it then helps the programmer to visualize what code to write by writing
lines of 'code' in plain language and then
thinking through what commands would perform the desired action.
