This course aims to teach learners that programming should involve more than just coding. The learning outcomes include understanding the tasks of programming, thinking clearly, specifying program behavior, and connecting specifications to code. The course covers skills such as writing specifications, using formal specs, and connecting specs to code. The teaching method involves lectures and examples to illustrate concepts. The intended audience for this course is individuals interested in deepening their understanding of programming beyond just writing code.
Overview
Syllabus
Introduction.
The 3 Tasks of Programming.
A Really Easy Problem.
How Can We Think More Clearly?.
Models versus Reality.
Computer Science.
What's a Program?.
Task 1: Specifying What the Program Does.
Our Example: A GCD Program.
Reality versus Model.
Limitations of the Function Model.
The Standard Behavioral Model.
Task 2 for Euclid's Algorithm.
The Complete Task 2 Specification.
What About Formal Specs?.
The Language: TLA.
The Problem with TLA.
The XBox 360 Memory System.
Why not a formal spec?.
What is Typical About This Spec.
What is Not Typical About This Spec.
What code should you specify?.
What should you specify about the code?.
How do you learn to write specs?.
How do you learn to write formal specs?.
How do you connect the spec to the code?.
What about coding?.
Taught by
Stanford Online
