Low-Level Language Definition A low-level language is a type of programming language that contains basic instructions recognized by a computer. Unlike high-level languages used by software developers, low-level code is often cryptic and not human-readable. Two common types of low-level programming languages are assembly language and machine language. Software programs and scripts are written in high-level languages, like C#, Swift, and PHP. A software developer can create and edit source code i...

Data Type Definition A data type is a type of data. Of course, that is rather circular definition, and also not very helpful. Therefore, a better definition of a data type is a data storage format that can contain a specific type or range of values. When computer programs store data in variables, each variable must be assigned a specific data type. Some common data types include integers, floating point numbers, characters, strings, and arrays. They may also be more specific types, such as date...

Spreadsheet Definition A spreadsheet is a document that stores data in a grid of horizontal rows and vertical columns. Rows are typically labeled using numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.), while columns are labeled with letters (A, B, C, etc). Individual row/column locations, such as C3 or B12, are referred to as cells. Each cell can each store a unique instance of data. By entering data into a spreadsheet, information can be stored in a more structured way than using plain text The row/column structure als...

Flat File Definition A flat file database is a database that stores data in a plain text file. Each line of the text file holds one record, with fields separated by delimiters, such as commas or tabs. While it uses a simple structure, a flat file database cannot contain multiple tables like a relational database can. Fortunately, most database programs such as Microsoft Access and FileMaker Pro can import flat file databases and use them in a larger relational database. Flat file is also a type...

Dialog Box Definition As the name implies, a dialog box serves to initiate a dialog with the user. It is a window that pops up on the screen with options that the user can select. After the selections have been made, the user can typically click "OK" to enter the changes or "Cancel" to discard the selections. It is customary for menu options that include an ellipsis at the end, such as "Preferences..." or "Save As...", to open a dialog box when selected. For example, if a user selects "Internet...

Driver Definition A driver, or device driver, is a software program that enables a specific hardware device to work with a computer's operating system. Drivers may be required for internal components, such as video cards and optical media drives, as well as external peripherals, such as printers and monitors. Most modern hardware is "plug and play," meaning the devices will work without requiring driver installation. However, even if a hardware device is recognized by the operating system, inst...

ODBC Definition Stands for "Open Database Connectivity." With all the different types of databases available, such as Microsoft Access, Filemaker, and MySQL, it is important to have a standard way of transferring data to and from each kind of database. For this reason, the SQL Access group created the ODBC standard back in 1992. Any application that supports ODBC can access information from an ODBC-compatible database, regardless of what database management system the database uses. For a datab...

DBMS Definition Stands for "Database Management System." In short, a DBMS is a database program. Technically speaking, it is a software system that uses a standard method of cataloging, retrieving, and running queries on data. The DBMS manages incoming data, organizes it, and provides ways for the data to be modified or extracted by users or other programs. Some DBMS examples include MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft Access, SQL Server, FileMaker, Oracle, RDBMS, dBASE, Clipper, and FoxPro. Since the...

Schema Definition A schema is an outline, diagram, or model. In computing, schemas are often used to describe the structure of different types of data. Two common examples include database and XML schemas. 1. Database Schema A database schema describes the tables and corresponding fields contained in a database. It may be displayed as a list of tables that each contain a sublist of fields along with the associated data type. More commonly, however, database schemas are displayed as visual diagra...

MAMP Definition Stands for "Mac OS X, Apache, MySQL, and PHP." MAMP is a variation of the LAMP software package that can be installed on Mac OS X. It can be used to run a live web server from a Mac, but is most commonly used for web development and local testing purposes. Apache (or "Apache HTTP Server") is the component used to configure and run the web server. Once installed, Apache enables a Mac to host one or more websites. By configuring and running a local Apache web server, web developer...