What is Syntax? What is it for?

What is Syntax? What Is It Used For?

Learning to write code correctly and quickly can open many doors for your career. Coding helps you progress in today’s tech-driven job market, enhances your problem-solving skills, and elevates your creativity. However, before creating the next revolutionary application or software in the tech world, you need to understand some fundamental concepts in programming. One of the most critical concepts is syntax (or syntax rules), which is as valuable as the functionality of the programming language itself. Read on to explore how syntax governs the structure of programming languages, its key components, how to avoid syntax errors, and more.

What is Syntax?

In linguistics, syntax refers to the rules that govern the formation of grammatically correct sentences. So, what does syntax do in programming? Similarly, in computer programming, syntax refers to the rules that govern the structure of symbols, words, and punctuation in programming languages.

Without syntax in spoken languages, understanding and meaning would break down, as everyone would have to create their own rules for word order and sentence structure. In the same way, syntax in programming languages defines the meaning of various symbol combinations. Syntax also specifies the valid keywords and symbols that a developer can use to write source code. Just as grammar forms the foundation of every spoken language, unique syntax forms the foundation of programming languages, essentially governing them. However, computers are much stricter when it comes to reading code—you need to write code carefully, adhering strictly to the syntax rules of the programming language. Any deviation from the syntax can result in syntax errors, and the computer will fail to execute the code.

Why is Syntax Important in Programming?

To master a programming language, you need to understand its syntax. Writing code according to predefined structural rules makes it easier for both machines and humans to understand. This is known in the software community as code readability.

Readable code is self-explanatory and can be easily understood by others. This helps foster collaboration and innovation within teams. Your colleagues can improve the code, and future programmers will find it easier to update if the code is clean and readable. Readable code adheres to the four Cs of coding: code integration, communication, consistency, and clarity. Here's a breakdown of each quality metric:

• Code Integration: Readable code can be easily understood by compilers and interpreters. A compiler is a computer program that translates code written in one programming language into another. An interpreter activates programming languages like Python or Java at runtime.
• Communication: Well-written code is self-explanatory and leaves no room for ambiguity. This is particularly important for open-source projects where different contributors need to share, merge, and update code.
• Consistency: Code that adheres to established syntax is consistent. For example, the consistent use of punctuation and naming conventions for objects/variables makes code more predictable and easier to understand.
• Clarity: Since all code is essentially a series of instructions, clarity helps convey these instructions clearly. In other words, readable code clearly states its function and purpose.

Key Components of Syntax in Programming

Syntax in computer programming languages can generally be divided into three levels:

• Words: This defines how characters form tokens. A token is a fundamental component of the source code. Characters belong to one of five token classes (identifiers, operators, constants, delimiters, and reserved keywords). Each class determines the function of the token according to the programming language’s rules.
• Expressions: This level specifies how tokens form expressions. Each programming language has its own syntax for writing expressions.
• Context: This contextual level defines naming rules (e.g., variables or objects that names refer to) and the validity of types.

There are nine key components of syntax in computer programming:

Expressions

An expression is a mandatory syntactic component of programming languages. An expression that uses a single line of code represents an action to be performed. For example, in Perl:

$a = 3;

Here, the variable $a is assigned the value 3. Since this expression assigns a value to a variable, it is an assignment expression.

Variables

A variable is a value that can change depending on certain conditions or the input provided to the program. A program typically consists of instructions (telling the computer what to do) and data (used during program execution). Variables have two categories:

• Variable values: Often initialized to 0 or another default value.
• Constant values: These are fixed and cannot be changed.

Both variables and constants are usually categorized by type, such as strings (text sequences with character limits) or integers (whole numbers).

Operators

An operator is a character or set of characters that represents an action or process. Operators direct the compiler or interpreter to perform specific mathematical, relational, or logical operations. The three main types of operators in high-level programming languages are:

• Mathematical Operators: Used for calculations (e.g., addition, subtraction, multiplication).
• Comparison Operators: Used for assignments and comparisons, applying Boolean logic to input data to yield true or false outcomes (e.g., <, >, <=, >=, ===, !==).
• Logical Operators: Combine relational operators to simplify complex decision-making. Logical operators include AND, OR, and NOT.

Keywords

Keywords are predefined words with special meanings to the compiler and form part of the core syntax. Keywords cannot be used as identifiers. The number of keywords in a programming language can indicate its complexity. For example, Elixir has around 15 keywords, while Visual Basic has approximately 217. You can find lists of keywords for each programming language compiled on platforms like GitHub.

Identifiers

Identifiers are names assigned to specific entities such as variables, constants, type definitions, and structures. While each programming language has its rules for naming entities, identifiers must conform to the technical limitations of the language.

Data Types

Data types specify what kind of value a variable can hold and what mathematical, relational, or logical operations can be applied without causing syntax errors. They define how variables can be created, transformed, and used in computations.

Conditionals

Conditionals, or conditional statements, tell the computer which decisions to make when specific conditions are met. The conditions must evaluate to true or false. For example, a Boolean conditional statement:

if (score > 70 && grade_level == 7)

Functions

Functions, also known as procedures, are reusable blocks of code. They allow programmers to break problems into smaller, manageable pieces, with each part performing a specific task.

Loops

A loop continuously executes a block of code until a specified condition is met. A loop typically consists of:

• Control statement: Defines the conditions for executing the loop body.
• Body: Contains logical expressions or instructions to be executed repeatedly.

How to Avoid Syntax Errors

Computers are extremely strict when it comes to reading and executing code. While humans can detect and correct typos or grammatical errors in sentences, computers cannot. Any incorrect command or error in the program causes the computer to fail execution.

To avoid syntax errors:

• Keep a reference of syntax for key statements and function calls.
• Use error messages to pinpoint issues. For example, Python's error messages like SyntaxError: invalid syntax tell you where the issue is located.

FAQs

Which programming languages should I learn?

Depending on your goals and interests, you can specialize in various programming languages. For beginners, Python is easy to learn and versatile. For web development, consider learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. For software or app development, Java, JavaScript, or Swift are great options.

Is SQL a programming language?

Yes, SQL (Structured Query Language) is a programming language designed to manage, query, and manipulate relational databases.

How many programming languages are there?

There are over 700 documented programming languages, though only a fraction are widely recognized and used in the industry.

Are bootcamp programs free?

Techcareer.net organizes free bootcamp programs focused on topics like software technologies and data science to equip participants with the skills needed to start a career in tech.