ITF Software Development Flashcards

What is the function of a 'compiler' in software development?

Answer: It translates high-level source code into machine code before execution

A compiler translates the entire high-level source code into machine code or bytecode before the program is executed.

Which concept in object-oriented programming hides internal object details from the outside world?

Answer: Encapsulation

Encapsulation bundles data and methods together inside a class while restricting direct access from outside the class.

What does 'refactoring' mean in software development?

Answer: Restructuring existing code without changing its external behavior

Refactoring improves the internal structure of code—making it cleaner and more efficient—without altering how it behaves externally.

In programming, what is an 'array'?

Answer: A collection of elements stored at contiguous memory locations under one name

An array is a data structure that stores multiple values of the same type in contiguous memory, accessible via an index.

Which of the following best describes 'unit testing'?

Answer: Testing individual components or functions in isolation

Unit testing verifies that individual components or functions of a program work correctly in isolation from the rest of the system.

What is the purpose of an 'if-else' statement in programming?

Answer: To execute different code blocks based on a condition

An if-else statement evaluates a condition and executes one block of code if true and another block if false.

Which of the following is a characteristic of a 'compiled' language compared to an 'interpreted' language?

Answer: Compiled languages typically execute faster because they are pre-translated to machine code

Compiled languages translate code to machine code ahead of time, which generally results in faster execution compared to interpreted languages that translate at runtime.