What is the A+ Programming Language?

It is very difficult to explain what the A+ programming language is to a person who has limited knowledge of programming languages in general. The first step is to explain what a programming language is.

A programming language is a written code providing instruction to a computer. All computer software and programs are written in programming languages. There are many different programming languages available. A+ is a specific kind of computer program that uses arrays.

An array is a method of programming used to store several items. Typical examples of items stored by an array are integers or strings. An integer is simply a whole number. A string is a series of characters. The items stored in arrays always contain the same item types. For example, an item can contain only integers or only strings but not both integers and strings. Array items are numbered sequentially. The number of the item is called an “index” and allows the computer programmer to access the item by referencing the corresponding number or index.

All arrays have specifically defined sizes that cannot be changed. The array size constitutes the maximum number of possible items the array can store. If a specific array is not large enough to store a specific amount of items a new array must be created.

Together, the various arrays in the program allow data to be manipulated on a multi-dimensional level. Essentially, programming languages which employ arrays allow operations to apply at the same time to values contained in an entire set. This allows the program to find similar elements within data which is more difficult to do using non array programming languages.

Many people opt to become certified in A+ by taking a certification test. There are many programs designed to prepare a computer programmer for the certification test. Typically these programs employ the use of A+ practice tests. Other certification courses are available. For example, Security+ covers computer security related to cryptography and control of access and Network+ certifies skills related to network hardware.