Computer program facts for kids

A computer program is like a set of instructions that tells a computer exactly what to do. Think of it as a recipe for a computer! Every single thing your computer does, from showing you a web page to playing a video game, happens because of a computer program.

These instructions are stored inside the computer's memory. This idea, called "internal programming," lets computers do many tasks one after another. A smart mathematician named John von Neumann came up with this in the 1940s. The very first digital computer designed with this ability was called EDVAC, built in 1949.

What Are Some Computer Programs?

You use computer programs all the time! Here are some common examples:

• An Operating system like Windows or macOS. This is the main program that runs your computer.
• Web browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox or Chrome, let you explore the Internet.
• An office suite (like Microsoft Office or Google Docs) helps you write documents or create spreadsheets.
• All video games are computer programs. They tell the computer how to create the game world and react to your actions.

How Do Computer Programs Work?

A computer program is saved as a file on your computer's hard drive. When you click on a program to open it, the computer reads this file. The computer's "brain," called the processor, then follows the instructions in the file. It's like the computer is reading a step-by-step guide and doing exactly what it says.

Who Writes Computer Programs?

People who write computer programs are called programmers. It's very hard to write instructions using only the ones and zeroes that computers understand directly. This is called machine code.

So, programmers use special programming languages instead. These languages are easier for humans to understand. Some popular programming languages are BASIC, C, and Java.

Once a programmer writes the program in one of these languages, they use a special tool called a compiler. The compiler translates the program into the machine code (ones and zeroes) that the computer can finally understand and run.

What Are Bad Programs (Malware)?

Not all computer programs are helpful. Some programs are made by people who want to cause trouble. These bad programs are called malware.

• Some malware is spyware. It tries to secretly collect information from your computer.
• Other malware might try to damage the files saved on your hard drive.
• Some malware sends you to web sites that try to sell you things you don't need.
• There are also computer viruses, which can spread to other computers, and ransomware, which can lock your files until you pay money.

Related pages

• Software
• Operating system
• Programming language
• Utility software

Images for kids

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  Program vs. Process vs. Thread Scheduling, Preemption, Context Switching

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  "Hello, World!" program by Brian Kernighan (1978)

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  Lovelace's description from Note G.

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  Glenn A. Beck is changing a tube in ENIAC.

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  Switches for manual input on a Data General Nova 3, manufactured in the mid-1970s

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  A VLSI integrated-circuit die.

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  IBM's System/360 (1964) CPU wasn't a microprocessor.

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  Artist's depiction of Sacramento State University's Intel 8008 microcomputer (1972).

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  The original IBM Personal Computer (1981) used an Intel 8088 microprocessor.

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  The DEC VT100 (1978) was a widely used computer terminal.

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  A computer program written in an imperative language

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  Computer memory map

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  Prior to programming languages, Betty Jennings and Fran Bilas programmed the ENIAC by moving cables and setting switches.

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  A symbolic representation of an ALU.

See also

In Spanish: Programa informático para niños