- Low-level language
- High-level language
The diagram below illustrates the varying levels of abstraction from hardware. It is evident from the visual aid that machine language offers minimal abstraction, assembly language offers a moderate level of abstraction, and high-level languages provide a more advanced level of abstraction.
Low-level language
The low-level programming language is a type of language that offers minimal abstraction from the underlying hardware, typically expressed in binary form as 0s and 1s, which correspond to machine instructions. Examples of languages falling into this category include Machine level language and Assembly language.
Machine-level language
A machine-level language is a type of programming language that comprises a specific set of instructions represented in binary format, either as 0s or 1s. Given that computers exclusively comprehend machine instructions in binary form, programming instructions must be in binary code. Crafting a program in machine-level language poses significant challenges due to the complexity involved in writing programs using machine instructions. Such programming is prone to errors, challenging to comprehend, and demands high maintenance efforts. Furthermore, machine-level language lacks portability as each computer utilizes its unique set of machine instructions. Consequently, a program written on one computer may not function correctly on another system.
Different processor architectures utilize distinct machine codes. For instance, a PowerPC processor incorporates RISC architecture, necessitating unique code compared to an Intel x86 processor, which operates on a CISC architecture.
Assembly Language
The assembly code includes readable instructions like mov, add, sub, etc. The challenges encountered in machine code are somewhat mitigated through the utilization of an advanced version of machine code referred to as assembly language. Because assembly language commands are expressed in English terms such as mov, add, sub, it simplifies the process of writing and comprehending them.
Since computers operate solely on machine-level instructions, a conversion process is necessary to translate assembly code into machine code. This conversion is carried out by a specific type of translator called an "assembler."
Assembly language code lacks portability due to its reliance on storing data directly in computer registers, which necessitates knowledge of the specific register sets used by the computer.
Assembly language does not offer a speed advantage over machine code as it resides hierarchically above machine language. This implies that assembly language provides a level of abstraction from hardware, whereas machine language lacks any abstraction.
Differences between Machine-Level language and Assembly language
The variances between machine-level language and assembly language are as follows:
| Machine-level language | Assembly language |
|---|---|
| The machine-level language comes at the lowest level in the hierarchy, so it has zero abstraction level from the hardware. | The assembly language comes above the machine language means that it has less abstraction level from the hardware. |
| It cannot be easily understood by humans. | It is easy to read, write, and maintain. |
| The machine-level language is written in binary digits, i.e., 0 and 1. | The assembly language is written in simple English language, so it is easily understandable by the users. |
| It does not require any translator as the machine code is directly executed by the computer. | In assembly language, the assembler is used to convert the assembly code into machine code. |
| It is a first-generation programming language. | It is a second-generation programming language. |
High-Level Language
High-level programming languages enable developers to create programs that are not tied to a specific computer system. These languages are categorized as high-level due to their similarity to natural human languages compared to low-level machine languages.
When developing a software in a high-level programming language, it is crucial to focus entirely on the problem-solving logic.
A compiler is essential for converting a high-level programming language into a low-level machine language.
Advantages of a high-level language
- Utilizing a high-level language entails readability, writability, and maintainability due to its resemblance to English words.
- High-level languages are crafted to address the shortcomings of low-level languages, particularly in terms of portability. They are portable, meaning they are not bound to specific machines.
Differences between Low-Level language and High-Level language
The variances between low-level language and high-level language are as follows:
| Low-level language | High-level language |
|---|---|
| It is a machine-friendly language, i.e., the computer understands the machine language, which is represented in 0 or 1. | It is a user-friendly language as this language is written in simple English words, which can be easily understood by humans. |
| The low-level language takes more time to execute. | It executes at a faster pace. |
| It requires the assembler to convert the assembly code into machine code. | It requires the compiler to convert the high-level language instructions into machine code. |
| The machine code cannot run on all machines, so it is not a portable language. | The high-level code can run all the platforms, so it is a portable language. |
| It is memory efficient. | It is less memory efficient. |
| Debugging and maintenance are not easier in a low-level language. | Debugging and maintenance are easier in a high-level language. |