Welcome to Understanding Code Organization Methods. After watching this video, you will be able to: Explain why code organization methods are important when programming. Define the different code organization methods and identify the benefits of using code organization methods. Organizing is very important when it comes to reading, maintaining, and configuring code. Well-planned-out software design, usually using one of several methods, helps programmers write cleaner and more reliable code. Planning out code in a visual format helps improve the code base once it is written and reduces the chance of bugs and errors throughout the lifespan of a project. Organizing code before programming has a positive impact on the quality of the program and helps provide a consistent and logical format to use while coding. There are two main methods of organizing code: flowcharts and pseudocode. The main difference between pseudocode and a flowchart is that the former is a basic, high-level description of an algorithm. An algorithm is a step-by-step sequence of solving a given problem. A flowchart is a pictorial representation of an algorithm showing the steps as boxes of various shapes and colors connected by arrows that indicate their order. Flowcharts are used in designing or documenting a process or program. Pseudocode provides a beneficial bridge to the project code because it closely follows the logic that the code will. Pseudocode also helps programmers share ideas without spending too much time creating code, and it provides a structure that is not dependent on any one programming language. Flowcharts are especially beneficial for smaller concepts and problems, while pseudocode is more efficient for larger programming projects. And flowcharts provide an easy method of communication about the logic and offer a good starting point for the project because they are easier to create than pseudocode in the beginning stages. A flowchart is the graphical or pictorial representation of an algorithm using different symbols, shapes, and arrows in different sizes and colors to demonstrate a process or a program. The main purpose of using a flowchart is to analyze different methods of solving a problem or completing a process. Several standard symbols are applied in a flowchart, and you can easily highlight certain elements and the relationships between each part in the process. Some traditional flowchart shapes used for programming concepts are: Start/End (a capsule), Process (a rectangle), Decision (a diamond), Data (a parallelogram), And Connecters (as arrows). A simple flowchart to represent how to add two numbers is easy to create. The procedure starts with the capsule, and has a connector, or arrow, progressing to the next step, the data input (the parallelogram), in this case, input n1 and input n2. Then, another connector, or arrow, goes to the process (the rectangle) of adding the two inputs, Sum = n1 + n2. Another connector, or arrow, moves to the data (the parallelogram) showing the results, in this case, Print Sum. The last connector, or arrow, moves to the end of the process, the end capsule. Flowchart software is an application that provides various functionalities to create flowcharts by providing the ability to drag shapes into the desired order using an easy-to-use editor. Flowchart software also provides team collaboration for creating flowcharts. Some of the well-known flowchart software programs include: Microsoft Visio, Lucidchart, Draw.io, And DrawAnywhere. Pseudocode is an informal type of programming description that does not require any strict programming language syntax or underlying technology considerations. System designers write pseudocode to ensure that programmers understand a software project's requirements and align code accordingly. Pseudocode is used for creating an outline or a rough draft of a program that summarizes a program’s flow but excludes underlying details. Pseudocode acts as the bridge between the programmer’s brain and the computer’s code executor that provides the ability to plan instructions that follow a logical pattern, without including all the technical details. Pseudocode is a great way of getting started with software programming as a beginner without worrying about coding syntax. Pseudocode helps both programmers and non-programmers agree about the program’s goal and the basics of how the task should be done. Here’s one example of pseudocode written to check if the user entered an odd or even number: The next example displays the pseudocode written in C++: There are many advantages of using pseudocode over flowcharts. The main benefit of pseudocode is that it’s simple and explains exactly what each line of an application should do. The coder can focus more on logic than on program language syntax. Removing the distractions of coding when using pseudocode makes the code development stage easier. Words and phrases in pseudocode represent lines of basic computer operations that simplify translation from the pseudocode algorithm to the specific programming language. Pseudocode allows programmers working in different computer languages to interact with each other. Pseudocode can be reviewed by different development groups easier than real code. Pseudocode is easier for non-programmers to read and enables quick and easy translation to any computer language. Writing pseudocode is more concise and easier to modify, so changes to the design can be easily incorporated. And lastly, unlike some flowcharts, pseudocode is usually less than one page. In this video, you learned that: Organizing and planning out software design enables programmers to write cleaner and more reliable code, and organized code is very important from a readability, maintainability, and scalability standpoint. Two main methods of organizing and planning software code are by developing flowcharts or writing pseudocode. A flowchart is a pictorial representation of an algorithm showing the steps as boxes of various kinds connected by arrows that indicate their order. And the main goal of pseudocode is to explain exactly what each line of a program should do, making the code construction phase easier for the programmer.
