Programming Languages

 

Experience using Scratch

            Scratch is a unique program to use when it comes to beginners learning how to code. The drag a drop features make it great because you can identify errors and fix them right away. At the start it was confusing for me to get a grasp of, and I found myself watching a lot of the tutorials to figure out how to do certain things. Although I may not have used all of the features to their fullest potential, the 5–6 hours I spent building my program were very eye-opening.

I talked to my oldest who is 17 and she said that she used the program before to make a game back in junior high and said it was pretty simple to use! After finishing my program, I felt accomplished because I pushed myself to complete my first assignment, even when it was challenging.

I found that the more I was using it, the quicker I was at the end of the program. I used roughly 146 blocks in which most of them were “say” blocks and I believe I should have animated it a bit more to get to a better outcome. At times, I struggled to understand why certain movements were not functioning as intended, but through trial and error, I discovered that the fixes were usually simple.

Insights Into Programming Using Scratch

My program was more story driven because I learn best by explaining concepts out loud because throughout my life I have found that the more I talk about something, the more I can come to understand it. In this case, I used that approach to explore the different types of programming languages. As I said above the drag and drop features gave me the opportunity to see what the “sprites” would do, which I thought was very user friendly. I was curious about what coding that scratch uses and comes to find out it uses “Block Programming” and is great because it has syntax-free coding, visual coding, and produces fast results (Gilbert, 2022). I did learn that everything should be logical as if it is not, you will not produce what you are after. From scratch, you could almost visualize how actual coding will go depending on what you are trying to achieve, though I do not believe it replaces traditional programming languages that are widely used today. Overall, scratch is a very unique and fun program and it should definitely be taught to our youth that show interest in becoming programmers in their adulthood.

Comparing Scratch & Other Languages

            When I look at scratch and the other programming languages in the textbook, I noticed in Scratch that the blocks must be logically arranged for the program to function properly, similar to compiled and interpreted languages where incorrect logic leads to errors. Additionally, while Scratch is block based (visual), the other languages are text based which make them more susceptible to syntax errors.

            To me it seems like scratch is partially connected to interpreted languages. Reason being is that in the text book for interpreted languages it reads “As the code runs line by line, errors show up right where the problem is” (TestOut, 2024) which to me in scratch it does not necessarily give you an error but the sprites will not do what you had intended them to do making it easier to identify where your “code” is incorrect.

For assembly language, it seemed to me to be much more complex as “it’s still hard to write and use” (TestOut, 2024) making it different from scratches user friendly visual interface. Furthermore, Query Languages differed because they focus to “request and retrieve information from a database” (Melton & Boxton, 2006) rather than creating animations or interactive programs like scratch.  

Language Easiest to Use

I found interpreted languages to be the easiest to understand. Compared to compiled, assembly, and query languages, the step-by-step execution made the process feel more manageable. I have heard of Python and JavaScript and even tried to use them, but I am still learning and sometimes find them confusing. I do like the fact that it executes the code line by line as that immediate feedback makes debugging easier and helps beginners like myself better understand how the code works. That is why I chose interpreted languages and cannot wait to actually use them to further develop skills I have never had before!

Scenarios

For Compiled Language, I believe it would be most effective in “high-end video games” (TestOut, 2024). According to FreeCodeCamp, Compiled Languages “give the developer more control over hardware aspects, like memory management and CPU usage” (freeCodeCamp, 2020) which is essential as games continue to advance graphically.

For Interpreted Languages, I would say it would have to be web development or mobile app development due to the fact that it is “platform-independent” meaning it can run on different operating systems and is often called “portability” (TestOut, 2024). According to Lenovo, “interpreted languages like JavaScript can be used for mobile app development through frameworks” (Lenovo US, 2021).

For Assembly Language, I really did not know who would use this, so I did some research. Apparently, a career that still uses Assembly Language are security researchers who analyze malware within systems among other things including smarter defense strategies, and more effective incident responses (Zeltser, L. 2025).

Lastly, Query Language can be best utilized in organizations that have to get detailed information in regards to sales and things of that nature. For example, the system used at my workplace, ELMS, likely incorporates a query language to retrieve inspection dates, equipment locations, and stock information. Crazy to say I never looked at it that way!

REFERENCES

freeCodeCamp. (2020, January 10). Interpreted vs compiled programming languages: What’s the difference? FreeCodeCamp.org. https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/compiled-versus-interpreted-languages/

Gilbert, J. (2022, January 30). What is Block Coding? CodeWizardsHQ. https://www.codewizardshq.com/what-is-block-coding/

An Introduction to the World of Interpreted Languages | Lenovo US. (2021). Lenovo.com. https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/glossary/interpreted-language/?orgRef=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F&srsltid=AfmBOooPkXOl8tRmIZ1h2l-w46NclTIy9Rt-5Qnfl8vjATzonc2AXH0K

Melton, J., & Buxton, S. (2006). Querying. Querying XML. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-155860711-8/50003-4

TestOut Corp. (2024). CertMaster Learn Tech+. http://www.testout.com

Zeltser , L. (2025, January 13). How You Can Start Learning Malware Analysis. SANS Institute. https://www.sans.org/blog/how-you-can-start-learning-malware-analysis