Description
This course introduces the non-programmer to fundamental programming concepts. The course covers the basics of computers and computer programs. The course also covers the software development process and what is involved in professional software development.

Audience
Prospective programmers or anyone involved in the software development process.

Prerequisites
Although no prior experience is necessary, the course assumes that the students have a basic level of computer literacy.

Hardware and Software
Any version of Windows and latest version of preferred Web browser, text editor.

Format

• Presentation
  
• Hands-on
  
• Demonstration
  

Objectives
After completing this course, participants should be able to:

• Describe how a computer program works
• Define important programming terms
• Define a programming language and discuss several important programming languages
• Explain how data is used in programming
• Explain programming concepts such as variables, operators, boolean logic, statements, looping and flow control, events
• Discuss Web application programming
• Discuss object-oriented programming concepts
• Discuss the software development process
• Discuss debugging approaches

Programming Basics

• Computer Basics
  • Main Computer Components
  • Central Processing Unit
  • Main Memory
  • Mass Storage
• What is a Program?
  • Computer Programs
  • Algorithms
  • Machine Language
  • Compiling
  • Linking and Loading
  • Interpreter
  • File Naming
• Executing Programs
  • Program Execution
  • Platform Independence
  • Processes
  • Threads
• Computer Languages
  • Language Syntax
  • Language Semantics
  • Languages
  • Web Page Script
  • Language Syntax Fundamentals

Data and Operators

• Data Types
  • Types of Data
  • Character Data
  • Working with Character Data
  • Integer Data
  • Floating Point Data
  • Floating Point Advantages/Disadvantages
  • Money Data
  • Date Data
• Variables and Constants
  • What is a Variable?
  • Naming Variables
  • Example Names
  • Declaring Variables
  • Assigning Values to Variables
  • Literals and Constants
  • Special Character Literals
  • Arrays
• Operators
  • What Is an Operator?
  • Arithmetic Operators
  • Parenthesis
  • Concatenation

Conditional Processing and Functions

• Conditional Processing
  • Conditions
  • If Statement
  • Boolean Logic
  • Statement Blocks
  • Switch Statement
  • Iteration
  • Terminating Loops
• Functions
  • What is a Function?
  • User-Defined Functions
  • Function Arguments
  • Scope: Definition
  • Scope: Analysis
  • Scope: Effects
  • Scope: Guidelines
  • Function Return Values

   

Interacting with the User and Object Oriented Programming

• Interacting with the User
  • Ways to Interact
  • Client/Server Processing
  • Web Applications
  • CGI
  • What Can and Cannot be Done with Script
  • Programming Web Pages
  • Document Object Model
  • Using the Document Object Model
  • Document Object Model Details
  • Event-Driven Programming
  • Processing Forms
  • Processing Buttons
  • Handling Numbers
• Object-Oriented Programming
  • Programming Paradigms
  • What is Object-Oriented Programming?
  • Classes and Objects
  • Constructors and Destructors
  • Creating JavaScript Objects
  • Encapsulation
  • Inheritance
  • JavaScript Inheritance
  • Instance Variables
  • Instance Methods
  • Class Variables
  • Class Methods
  • Class/Instance Methods and Variables
  • Example: Complex Number Object
  • Example: Using Complex Number Objects
  • Built-In JavaScript Objects

Object-Oriented Programming and Software Development

• Object-Oriented Programming
  • Programming Paradigms
  • What is Object-Oriented Programming?
  • Classes and Objects
  • Constructors and Destructors
  • Creating JavaScript Objects
  • Encapsulation
  • Inheritance
  • JavaScript Inheritance
  • Instance Variables
  • Instance Methods
  • Class Variable
  • Class Method
  • Class/Instance Methods and Variables
  • Example: Complex Number Object
  • Example: Using Complex Number Objects
  • Built-In JavaScript Objects
• Software Development
  • Software Life Cycle
  • Development: Analysis
  • Development: Design
  • Development: Implementation
  • Development: Testing
  • Variations in Development
  • Debugging: Compiled v. Interpreted
  • Debugging: Alerts
  • Debugging: Debug Flag
  • Debugging: Try/Catch
  • Debugging: Using Debuggers
  • Debugging: Debuggers
  • Documentation: Types
  • Documentation: Comments
  • Documentation: User