The main difference between markup language and programming language is that a markup language defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable while a programming language provides a set of commands and syntax that can be used to write computer programs which are understood by the computer.
A markup language is a type of language used to annotate text and embed tags in accurately styled electronic documents, irrespective of computer platforms, operating systems, applications or programs. However, a programming language is a language that provides a set of rules, syntax, and commands to write computer programs that implements algorithms.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is a Markup Language
– Definition, Functionality, Types
2. What is a Programming Language
– Definition, Functionality, Types
3. What is the Difference Between Markup Language and Programming Language
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
HTML, Markup Language, Programming Language, XHTML, XML
What is a Markup Language
A markup language is a computer language that uses tags to define elements within a document. They are easier to read. These languages are designed to create a structure, identify data or to present data rather than to execute an action or to perform an action. The text present in the tags is structured by the web browser accordingly.
HTML, XML, and XHTML are some common markup languages. HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It is used to create the structure of a web page. The file is divided into two sections called the head and the body. The head section contains the metadata, title etc. The body contains the visible elements of the page. There are tags for tables, forms, paragraphs, headings and many more.
Figure 1: HTML
XML stands for Extensible Markup Language. XML tags are used to store and organize data. It is platform and language independent. XML helps to share data between completely different platforms. It is used with databases, programming languages and mobile applications. Moreover, XHTML stands for Extensible HyperText Markup Language. It is a combination of both HTML and XML. XML parser are used to parse these XHTML documents.
What is a Programming Language
A programming language is a formal language that contains a set of commands and syntax to create software programs. These programs can perform a specific task. Programming languages are mainly divided into two sections. They are high-level languages and low-level languages.High-level language uses syntax similar to the English language. Therefore, those languages are easier to read and are understandable by the programmer. These programs are also called the source code. The source code is converted into machine-understandable machine code using a compiler or an interpreter. C, C++, Java, Python are some examples of high-level programming languages. There are used to develop web, desktop, mobile applications, etc.
Figure 2: Programming Languages
Low-level programming languages are more machine friendly. They directly interact with the hardware. Two common examples of low-level languages are machine language and assembly language. Machine language consists of binaries, and it is extremely difficult to write a program in machine code. However, assembly language is one step ahead of machine language. One needs to have a good knowledge of computer architecture to write assembly programs. An assembly program is converted into machine language using an assembler. These languages are commonly used to develop hardware based applications like operating systems and device drivers.
Difference Between Markup Language and Programming Language
Definition
A markup language is a system for annotating a document in a way that is syntactically distinguishable from the text. In contrast, a programming language is a formal language that contains a set of instructions used to produce various kinds of output. Thus, this is the main difference between markup language and programming language.
Functionality
Another difference between markup language and programming language is that a markup language is interpreted by the browser while a programming language is compiled by a compiler or interpreted by an interpreter.
Examples
HTML, XML, and XHTML are some examples for markup languages. C, C++, Java, Python, and Assembly are some examples for programming languages.
Usage
We can find a difference between markup language and programming language based on the usage as well. That is, the markup language is used to present information whereas programming language is used to give instructions to a computer to perform a particular task.
Conclusion
The difference between markup language and programming language is that a markup language defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable while a programming language provides a set of commands and syntax that can be used to write computer programs which are understood by the computer.
Reference:
1. “Markup Language.” P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
2. “Programming Language.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Sept. 2018, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “2582748” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Prog-languages” By Wiziq Inc (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
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