Top "Terminology" questions

Javascript: difference between a statement and an expression?

I asked this question earlier, and after thinking about the topic some more, I began to wonder where the seemingly …

javascript expression terminology semantics
What's the difference between a character, a code point, a glyph and a grapheme?

Trying to understand the subtleties of modern Unicode is making my head hurt. In particular, the distinction between code points, …

string unicode terminology
What does it mean to vacuum a database?

As referenced by this Firefox bug, what does the act of vacuuming a database accomplish? Is this operation supported by …

database terminology vacuum
Any difference between First Class Function and High Order Function

I'm wondering whether/what difference between First Class Function and High Order Function. I read through those two wiki pages …

functional-programming terminology
What is the difference between an Abstract Syntax Tree and a Concrete Syntax Tree?

I've been reading a bit about how interpreters/compilers work, and one area where I'm getting confused is the difference …

parsing terminology abstract-syntax-tree semantic-analysis concrete-syntax-tree
What is the difference between system call and library call?

Can someone explain the differences for these two in linux? Please go as deep as possible into each step the …

linux operating-system system-calls libraries terminology
What does it mean to do/determine something "programmatically"?

Programmatically. (alt. programmically) I've never used it, but I see it in questions a lot, i.e. "How to programmatically …

computer-science terminology
What is the meaning of the term arena in relation to memory?

I'm reading a book on memory as a programming concept. In one of the later chapters, the author makes heavy …

c++ c memory-management terminology
What does vanilla mean?

The vanilla adjective appears in many places: plain-vanilla java, vanilla javascript: what does it exactly mean? From context, is seems …

programming-languages terminology
Is Java really passing objects by value?

Possible Duplicate: Is Java pass by reference? public class myClass{ public static void main(String[] args){ myObject obj = new myObject("…

java parameter-passing terminology pass-by-reference pass-by-value