Pseudocode

Pseudocode is an informal language that helps programmers develop algorithms without having to worry about the strict details of C# language syntax. The pseudocode we present is particularly useful for developing algorithms that will be converted to structured portions of C# applications. Pseudocode is similar to everyday Englishit is convenient and user friendly, but it is not an actual computer programming language.

Pseudocode does not execute on computers. Rather, it helps you "think out" an application before attempting to write it in a programming language, such as C#. This chapter provides several examples of how to use pseudocode to develop C# applications.

The style of pseudocode we present consists purely of characters, so you can create pseudocode using any text-editor application. A carefully prepared pseudocode application can easily be converted to a corresponding C# application. In many cases, this simply requires replacing pseudocode statements with C# equivalents.

Pseudocode normally describes only statements representing the actions that occur after you convert an application from pseudocode to C# and the application is run on a computer. Such actions might include input, output and calculations. We typically do not include variable declarations in our pseudocode, but some programmers do list variables and mention their purposes at the beginning of pseudocode programs.