Procedural Programming & Programming Paradigms

A programming paradigm refers to the way in which a programming language is designed or the methodology followed by a programmer when writing code. One of the advantages of Python is its high degree of flexibility, as it was created to be a general-purpose language. Although the primary creator of Python may not have intended for certain paradigms to be employed in the language, this flexibility enables us to explore various paradigms using Python, rather than having to learn different languages for each paradigm. In conclusion, a paradigm represents a way of thinking, and by practicing Python in different ways, it can guide us to become better Python programmers.

Now that we have a general understanding of paradigms, let's focus on the one that will be emphasized in this course: Procedural Programming. However, it is crucial to grasp a significant concept: this course serves as a preparation for procedural programming. We will cover the fundamental basics required to venture into procedural programming. Some experienced programmers might view this as imperative programming, and I agree with them. Once again, please note that this is an introductory course.

Procedural Programming revolves around creating a clear set of code that solves a given problem. I want you to pay attention to the word "set" at this point. In computer science, it is common to abstract a problem and understand all its components in order to derive a solution. Consequently, we write sets of code that address the various components of a problem to construct a solution. Throughout this course, you will encounter simplistic problems that allow us to apply the same logic and structure to other challenges we may encounter in the future.

Other Paradigms

The Object-Oriented Programming Paradigm (OOP) offers a distinct approach that changes our perception of problem-solving. Instead of crafting a linear set of instructions to resolve a problem, OOP allows us to construct new entities, known as objects, which inherently tackle the problem. Another paradigm is Functional Programming (FP), which draws inspiration from mathematics and emphasizes the definition of programming solutions through functions. It's worth noting that these are not the only two paradigms; there exist various variations of each, as well as numerous others!