I created this site as a resource for Middle and High School Computer Science teachers. This site will include articles on various topics of teaching Computer Science, content, and assignment ideas. If you are interested in collaborating with fellow teachers please email admin@compsci.riverhillhs.org the following information:
Though every high school teaches different Computer Science courses and languages, this site will for now cover Java, Python, and JavaScript. The reason for these three languages is they are consistently in the top-five of in demand languages, they are the languages primarily taught in the district I teach in, and they are the languages I know best. For each language this site will break the language into topics, which will include topics, presentations, and exercises that students can complete.
Java was originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems. It was released in May 1995 as a core component of Sun's Java platform. Per the Oracle site the Java Programming Language is a general-purpose, concurrent, strongly typed, class-based object-oriented language. It is normally compiled to the bytecode instruction set and binary format defined in the Java Virtual Machine Specification. Per the Github site for 2023 Java had the 2nd most pull requests on the site.
Per the Oracle website:
Java has emerged as the object-oriented programming language of choice. Some of the important concepts of Java include:
A Java virtual machine (JVM), which provides the fundamental basis for platform independence
Automated storage management techniques, such as garbage collection
Language syntax that is similar to that of the C language
The result is a language that is object-oriented and efficient for application programming
Python was created by Guido van Rossum, and first released on February 20, 1991. I always was taught that Python was the new kid on the block in regards to programming languages, but it has been around before Java. However, it has steadily gained in popularity and per the Github site for 2023 Python had the most pull requests on the site.
Per the Python.org website:
Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language with dynamic semantics. Its high-level built in data structures, combined with dynamic typing and dynamic binding, make it very attractive for Rapid Application Development, as well as for use as a scripting or glue language to connect existing components together. Python's simple, easy to learn syntax emphasizes readability and therefore reduces the cost of program maintenance. Python supports modules and packages, which encourages program modularity and code reuse. The Python interpreter and the extensive standard library are available in source or binary form without charge for all major platforms, and can be freely distributed.
JavaScript was invented by Brendan Eich in 1995. Netscape and Eich designed JavaScript as a scripting language for use with Netscape Navigator. and was first called LiveScript. Netscape changed the name to JavaScript so they could position it as a companion for the Java language. Per the Github site for 2023 JavaScript had the 4th most pull requests on the site.
Per the MDN website:
JavaScript is a scripting or programming language that allows you to implement complex features on web pages — every time a web page does more than just sit there and display static information for you to look at — displaying timely content updates, interactive maps, animated 2D/3D graphics, scrolling video jukeboxes, etc. — you can bet that JavaScript is probably involved. It is the third layer of the layer cake of standard web technologies, two of which (HTML and CSS) we have covered in much more detail in other parts of the Learning Area.