When faced with a bug or a difficult functionality, developers often approach it differently. Some may face it straight up, writing and deleting codes, basically trying and trying till something works out. Meanwhile, some may sit back and try to reason out how they’d debug the code, thinking of different ways to go about it in their head before they even start putting anything down in the code editor.
Although, whichever way works, sitting back and planning out how to debug a code before actually facing it head-on is a better approach because it allows for proper evaluation of the problem. Facing the code head-on without a clear approach allows for subsequent bugs and doesn’t foster good code-writing skills. On the other hand, mapping out a clear approach before tackling the problem encourages good code-writing and problem-solving skills.
Now, what is a pseudocode? Here’s the thing, a pseudocode is a detailed and readable description of what a computer program should do. Think of it as bringing down your entire thought process of how you plan on solving a problem in software engineering. It is an elaborate and systematic depiction of how you picture solving the problem in your head.
Pseudocode is independent of the programming language as it has no syntax. There are no predefined or laid down guidelines for writing a pseudocode, it could be written in any way. It represents a sketch of how you plan on approaching the problem.
Problem- Create a function that returns the sum of all the numbers in a list
#Pseudocode
create the function
create a list of numbers
create a variable SUM
iterate through the list
upon each iteration, add each number to the SUM variable
return the SUM variable
Looking at the snippet above, the problem was to create a function that returns the sum of all the numbers in a list. I created a detailed and systematic approach to how I’d tackle the problem before even writing a line of code. As shown above, the pseudocode was written in plain English but clearly explains the algorithm behind the solution to the problem. Implementing the code after this is a walk in the park as there is a blueprint already.
Pseudocodes are very important as they provide a clear and detailed way to express the logic of an algorithm without getting overwhelmed with the syntax. Truly, certain algorithms appear daunting at first glance, but approaching them with well-written pseudocodes makes them less daunting as you get to break down the problem in your own words and how you understand them.
Furthermore, pseudocode aids collaboration among developers. It serves as a common language for discussing algorithmic solutions. When working on collaborative projects, writing good pseudocodes hastens the development process, making it easier for other developers to understand your thought process and the reasons behind some code decisions.
In the code editor, pseudocodes are often written with the aid of comments. A comment in programming is a piece of text within the source code of a program that is not executed by the computer when the program is run. The computer ignores comments when running the program as they are not executable in the source code. Therefore, comments are great for pseudocode because pseudocodes are meant to provide a detailed description of an algorithm and are not meant to be executed.
The Way Forward?
In summary, it isn't compulsory to make use of pseudocodes while writing code but the perks are endless. You are breaking the algorithm into ways you understand before actually coding. It speeds up your development process and makes your code neater and more readable. It is a coding convention you should start applying.
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