THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF VISUAL PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35546/kntu2078-4481.2025.1.2.5Keywords:
architecture, visual programming, visual programming language, visual-oriented programming, integrated development environmentAbstract
Visual programming languages are not widely used for developing complex software. This paper is a theoretical part of a complex study with two main goals. First, to identify how visual programming languages affect software flexibility. Second, to determine whether they have advantages when developing software with cognitive limitations (human memory, concentration, attention, navigation, speed of thinking, etc). The results of this study are important for the practical part. The article considers five modern visual programming languages, examines two review and analytical articles about visual programming languages, and analyzes ten scientific papers that practically use the object of study in their applied field. Based on the collected material, the principles of visual programming languages were created to improve software flexibility. An architecture was created in accordance with these principles. To be an effective development tool, a specialized environment is required. The study also provides recommendations for implementing a visual integrated development environment. The established principles have a certain positive impact on the architecture, and further practical research is needed to reliably assert that software is becoming more flexible. Further research should also include cognitive and psychological tests to claim superiority over general-purpose text-based programming languages.Thus, it can only be assumed that the principles, architecture and concept of an integrated development environment for visual programming languages outlined in this paper tend to reduce the influence of cognitive factors on the software development process. The theoretical results of this study are necessary for visual programming languages to become as widely used as general-purpose textual programming languages.
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