Syntax

In programming, syntax is a set of rules that explain how to write code in a given language. They show how to arrange and combine commands, which symbols to use, how to structure records, and so on.

The most obvious example is learning foreign languages. For example, children learn English at school. One of the first tasks is to understand how words fit together, how they form phrases and sentences. The same applies to Russian and other languages. For programming languages, the word “syntax” means roughly the same thing.

An important point: syntax doesn’t tell you anything about the meaning of commands or words. It only determines whether they’re spelled correctly. For example, writing a function with incorrect parentheses is a syntax error. Writing a function that doesn’t work correctly is a different kind of error. A function can be syntactically correct.

Why do you need to study syntax?

If a person doesn’t know the syntax of a programming language, they don’t know the language and won’t be able to write programs in it. Even if the code is logically correct, if there are syntax errors, the compiler or interpreter won’t be able to read it. Computers aren’t people: a person can read a sentence written with errors, but a machine can’t.

Therefore, learning a language’s syntax is the first step in learning programming in general. Different programming languages ​​have different syntaxes, so identical programs written in them look different. But once you understand the principle, subsequent languages ​​will be easier to learn.

Examples of syntax rules

• The type of brackets that are used when writing a particular command.
• Case sensitivity – does a language differentiate between lowercase and uppercase letters?
• The need to use spaces and line breaks—or lack thereof. For example, in Python, these are part of the syntax, but in JavaScript, they are less important.
• Whether or not it is necessary to specify the variable type when creating it.
• The order of the commands and their combination with each other.
• A symbol used to indicate a comment in code.

These are just a few examples. There are many more such rules, and they vary for each language. The better you know the syntax of your chosen programming language, the lower the risk of making mistakes when writing code.

The difference between syntax and semantics

There’s another similar concept, which is nevertheless opposed to syntax: semantics. Semantics deals with the meaning of words and the significance of commands.

Syntax determines the correctness of spelling, while semantics determines the correctness of meaning. Here’s an example from natural human languages:

• “I love Moscow, it’s a city” is a sentence that’s syntactically incorrect. But its meaning is clear, at least to a human.
• “I love the village of Saint Petersburg” is a syntactically correct sentence. But it’s semantically incorrect, because Saint Petersburg is a city, not a village. The meaning of the word is entirely different. Therefore, it’s unclear whether the person was mistaken or actually meant a village with the same name.

It’s the same in programming languages. Syntax determines whether the computer understands what you tell it. Semantics determines the internal logic of what’s written, what the commands mean.

The difference between syntax and code style

In the early stages of learning, it’s important not to get confused. Languages ​​have code styles—a kind of “rules of etiquette” for writing code. They were created by developers to better understand each other’s programs. Using code styles isn’t essential for a computer: the code will work even if it has poor “style.” Although we certainly recommend adhering to them—this will increase your value among other developers.

Syntax is a completely different matter. It’s essential to use it. Otherwise, the code will simply remain incomprehensible to the computer; it won’t be able to read or execute it, and it simply won’t understand what it is. Unlike humans, a machine is inflexible, and it won’t recognize a misspelled word.

What does “simple syntax” mean?

To make things easier for developers, modern languages ​​are created with simple syntax—one that’s easier to remember and read. For example, Python’s “first program,” Hello World, is just one line:

print(“hello world”)

Even from the way it’s written, it’s clear what it does: it prints “hello world.” For comparison, here’s the C++ code that does the same thing:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main() {

  cout << “hello world”;

  return 0;

}

If you’ve never worked with programming, you probably won’t understand what’s written here. What cout is, what the << signs are for, and what using namespace std does—all of this requires a better understanding of the language.

These are the differences in syntax. Programs in some languages ​​look and are simpler to write than in others. But a syntactically complex language doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad: it’s simply harder to learn.

How to learn language syntax

This is the first step in learning a programming language: understanding its syntax. Typically, its basic principles are introduced in the very first lessons. Over time, as you begin to explore more complex features and constructs, you learn their syntax as well.

If you’re worried you won’t remember it, don’t worry. Syntax is easy to remember with regular practice, just like natural languages. And if you find it difficult at first, you can look at theoretical materials. You won’t need them later.

Another nice thing: syntax elements are similar across languages. So, if you learn one programming language, learning a second one may be easier, especially if they’re similar.

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