Pseudocode

Remarks#

Pseudocode is by definition informal. This topic is meant to describe ways to translate language-specific code into something everyone with a programming background can understand.

Pseudocode is an important way to describe an algorithm and is more neutral than giving a langugage-specific implementation. Wikipedia often uses some form of pseudocode when describing an algorithm

Some things, like if-else type conditions are quite easy to write down informally. But other things, js-style callbacks for instance, may be hard to turn into pseudocode for some people.

This is why these examples may prove useful

Variable affectations

You could describe variable affectation in different ways.

Typed

int a = 1
int a := 1
let int a = 1
int a <- 1

No type

a = 1
a := 1
let a = 1
a <- 1

Functions

As long as the function name, return statement and parameters are clear, you’re fine.

def incr n
    return n + 1

let incr(n) = n + 1

function incr (n)
    return n + 1

are all quite clear, so you may use them. Try not to be ambiguous with a variable affectation