Scripting Language vs Programming Language
Generally, most beginner programmers understand that both scripting language and programming language terms are similar to each other and use the terms interchangeably.
But the truth is that both are very different from each other. To be a good programmer, it is essential to understand the basic difference between scripting language and programming language.
So, let’s understand the significant difference between scripting language vs programming language one by one.
1. Definition:
A programming language is a computer language that consists of set instructions for communicating with a computer system.
A scripting language is a type of programming language that provides to write scripts to automate the execution of a specific action/function in a specific runtime environment.
2. Interpretation:
Most programming languages use a compiler to first convert the high level language to machine level language. Therefore, they are known as compiled language or compile-based language. These languages run independently because they do not need to be interpreted by another application or language.
In contrast, scripting languages do not need a compiler. They are interpreted and executed line by line with the help of another application or language. For example, JavaScript has to be embedded within HTML, and then is interpreted by the user’s web browser.
3. Memory:
Programming languages program when compiled, generates binary code executable files also known as .exe files that take memory in the computer system.
Scripting languages do not generate any .exe executable files. Therefore, it saves memory.
4. Design:
Programming languages are specially designed to make full-fledged code that makes software development simpler.
Scripting languages are specially designed to make coding easier and faster.
5. Development:
Development of an application or software using programming languages is difficult as lots of lines of code is required to accomplice a particular task.
Whereas, in scripting languages, coding is relatively easier as it requires only a few lines of code to accomplice a specific task.
Hence, writing a full-fledge coding to develop an application using programming languages usually takes longer time. Whereas, the time taken for writing code in scripting languages is relatively less because we need to be written a smaller chunk of code.
6. Types/Categories:
Programming languages are classified into mainly five subcategories:
- First generation,
- Second generation,
- Third generation,
- Fourth generation,
- Fifth generation languages.
On the other hand, scripting languages are classified into only two subcategories:
- Server-side scripting languages,
- Client-side scripting languages
7. Conversion and Hosting:
Since programming languages use a compiler, so the complete program code is translated (or converted) into machine code in one shot. They are self executable and run independently. They do not need any hosting.
On the other hand, scripting languages use an interpreter, so the complete code is converted into interpreted language line by line. They require a host.
8. Speed:
The code written in programming languages generally execute faster because of using a compiler, as the compiler is able to find all errors at once after analyze the complete code.
In contrast, the code written in scripting languages relatively slower as they use an interpreter that read and analyses the complete code line by line. Every time the interpreter detects an error, it halts further execution until the error gets taken away.
9. Popular Examples:
Some popular examples of programming languages are C, C++, C#, Java, COBOL, Scala, etc.
Some popular examples of Scripting languages are JavaScript, VBScript, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, etc.
Difference between Scripting Language and Programming Language
Let’s understand a short comparison between scripting language and programming language with the help of table form.
| Programming Language | Scripting Language |
|---|---|
| 1. A computer language consisting of a set of instructions to communicate with a computer machine. | 1. A kind of programming language that provides to write scripts to automate the execution of a specific action/function in a specific runtime environment. |
| 2. Since the compiler is necessary to compile most of the programming languages, therefore, they are also known as compiled language or compiler-based language. | 2. Since the interpreter is necessary to interpret most of the programming languages, therefore, they are also known as interpreted language or interpreted-based language. |
| 3. It is used in software or application development. | 3. It is used in web development. |
| 4. Programming language executes (or runs) independently of any parent (exterior) program. It is self executable and no host is required. | 4. Scripting language execute (or run) inside another program. It requires a host. |
| 5. As programming language uses a compiler, hence the source code of complete program is converted into machine code in one shot. | 5. As scripting language uses an interpreter, hence the program code is converted into machine code line by line. |
| 6. Compilation is necessary for programming languages. | 6. Interpretation is necessary for scripting languages. No need of compilation is required. |
| 7. After compilation, a program takes long time to execute since the length of code is typically high. | 7. A script takes less time to execute, as scripts are generally short. |
| 8. The program written in programming languages generates a .exe file. | 8. The program written in scripting languages does not generate a .exe file. |
| 9. In programming languages, writing a program is difficult because it requires numerous lines of code for each task. | 9. In scripting languages, writing a program is quite easy because it requires few lines of code for each task. |
| 10. All programming languages are not scripting languages. | 11. All the scripting languages are kind of programming languages. |
| 11. To develop an application using a programming language typically takes more time as requires more lines of code. | 11. To develop web application using a scripting language typically take less time as requires fewer lines of code. |
| 12. Programming languages have high maintenance cost. | 12. Scripting languages typically have a low maintenance cost. |
| 13. Some popular examples of programming languages are C, C++, Java, Scala, COBOL, etc. | 13. Some popular examples of scripting languages are JavaScript, Python, Perl, etc. |
Hope that this tutorial has elaborated almost all the important points concerning with the difference between scripting language vs programming language with table form. We hope that you will have understood all the basic key differences between programming language vs scripting language. In the next, we will understand JavaScript comments.
Thanks for reading!!!
