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Software Engineering vocabulary · Programming Concepts

Syntax

Meaning in software engineering, with examples

/ˈsɪntæks/nounCore term

In software engineering, syntax means: The rules for how code must be written in a programming language, such as where brackets, commas and keywords go, so that the computer can read it.

In Turkish: sözdizimi, yazım kuralları

How it is used

Developers compare languages by their syntax ('Python has a clean syntax') and look up syntax they forget ('What's the syntax for a lambda again?'). Syntax highlighting is the coloring of code in an editor.

Example sentences

  1. I always forget the syntax for list comprehensions in Python.

  2. Kotlin's syntax felt strange at first, but now I prefer it to Java.

Common collocations

  • syntax error
  • syntax highlighting
  • clean syntax
  • the syntax for
  • syntax errorA mistake in how code is written, such as a missing bracket or a misspelled keyword, which stops the program from compiling or running.
  • compileTo turn source code written by people into code that a computer can run, using a program called a compiler.
  • linterA tool that scans code without running it and warns about style problems, suspicious patterns and simple mistakes, such as unused variables.
  • IDEShort for integrated development environment: an application for writing code that brings together an editor, a debugger, search and other tools in one place.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Programming Concepts

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