Computer Science Vocabulary – Part 1

If you’re a high school or university student studying computer science, you’ll likely come across many
technical terms that may be unfamiliar to you. Understanding the vocabulary is crucial in mastering the
concepts and principles of computer science. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of 24 essential words
that you should know in the context of computer science. Each word comes with a concise definition and an
example to help you understand its usage. We hope that this list will be a valuable resource to help you
succeed in your computer science studies.

Term Definition Example

The absolute value of an integer can
Referring to a value without
Absolute Adj. be obtained using the Math.abs()
regard to its sign.
method
The merge-sort algorithm is more
A process or set of rules to be
Algorithm Noun efficient than the insertion sort
followed
algorithm
A collection of similar items in The array stores a list of student
Array Noun
a sequence names
To add something at the end of The program will append new data to
Append Verb
another the list

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 Term Definition Example
A value or variable that is
Don’t forget your argument when
Argument Noun passed to a function or method
calling that function
when it is called
A boolean value can either be true or
Boolean Adj. Relating to a system of logic
false
The student class has several
Class Noun A blueprint for creating objects
methods
To convert code into The program needs to be compiled
Compile Verb
executable form before running
A special method that creates The constructor initializes the object’s
Constructor Noun
objects properties
A component or part of a
Element Noun This list has 12 elements
larger structure
In the statement x = x + 1, the plus
Increase the value of a
Increment Noun sign performs an increment operation
variable by a fixed amount
on the variable x.
An identifier for a specific The index of the first item in the array
Index Noun
location in a data structure is 0
The variable stores an integer value of
Integer Noun A whole number
12
Repeating a process or set of
Iteration Noun The loop performs several iterations
instructions
A function associated with an The method sorts the list in
Method Noun
object alphabetical order
A variable in a function
Parameter Noun The function takes two parameters
definition
The recursive function calculates the
Recursion Noun A function that calls itself
factorial of a number
Return Verb To send back a result or value The function will return the total sum
The area in a program where a
Scope Noun The variable has global scope
variable can be accessed
The if statement checks a condition
Statement Noun An instruction in a program
and executes code
The variable stores a string value of
String Noun A sequence of characters
“funky”
The rules that define the
Syntax Noun structure of a programming The code contains a syntax error
language
Visiting and examining each The traversal of the tree follows a
Traversal Noun
item in a data structure specific order
A named location in memory The variable stores the result of a
Variable Noun
that stores a value calculation

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Argument or Parameter?

In computer science, the terms argument and parameter are sometimes used interchangeably, but they
have slightly different meanings.

A parameter is a variable that is part of the definition of a function or method. It is a placeholder that
represents a value that will be passed to the function or method when it is called. The value of the parameter
can be specified when the function or method is called.

An argument is the actual value that is passed to a function or method when it is called. It is the value that is
assigned to the parameter when the function or method is executed.

Keywords:

In computer science, a keyword or reserved word is a term that has a predefined meaning in the
programming language and cannot be used as a variable name or identifier. These words are reserved by
the language’s syntax and cannot be redefined or used in any other way than how they are intended to be
used. Here are 10 common examples of keywords in programming languages:

1. int – A keyword in C++ and Java that represents integer data type
2. bool – A keyword in C++ and Python that represents boolean data type
3. if – A conditional statement
4. else – An alternative conditional statement
5. while – A loop statement
6. for – A loop statement with a counter
7. switch – A switch statement
8. class – A keyword in object-oriented programming languages that represents a class definition
9. public – A keyword in object-oriented programming languages that represents an access modifier
10. return – A return statement in a function.

Different Types of Errors:

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As a computer science student you may need to understand these different types of errors:

Compile-time errors: These errors occur when the code you have written does not follow the rules of the
programming language you are using. The compiler, which is a program that translates your code into
machine-readable format, will identify these errors and prevent the code from being compiled until they are
fixed. Examples of compile-time errors include using an undefined variable or function, missing a semicolon
at the end of a statement, or using an operator incorrectly.

Syntax errors: These errors are a type of compile-time error and occur when the code you have written
does not follow the syntax rules of the programming language you are using. Syntax errors are often caused
by typographical errors such as misspelled words, missing parentheses, or mismatched brackets. Examples
of syntax errors include writing “print” as “prnit“, or forgetting to close a quote or bracket.

Logic errors: These errors occur when the code you have written runs without any syntax errors, but the
output or behavior of the program is not what you intended. Logic errors are often caused by mistakes in the
design or implementation of the program. Examples of logic errors include using the wrong mathematical
formula, forgetting to consider certain input values, or using the wrong comparison operator.

Run-time errors: These errors occur during the execution of the program and can cause the program to
terminate abnormally. Run-time errors are often caused by unexpected events such as a divide-by-zero error
or a file that cannot be opened. Examples of run-time errors include trying to access an array element that
does not exist, using a null pointer, or attempting to read from or write to a file that does not exist or is in use
by another process.

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