Programming terms starting with A

83 terms

absolute filename A filename whose full path is unambiguously given starting from the top (root) of a file system tree. For instance c:\Java\bin\javac.
abstract A Java keyword used in a class definition to specify that a class is not to be instantiated, but rather inherited by other classes.
abstract class A class with the abstract reserved word in its header. Abstract classes are distinguished by the fact that you may not directly construct objects from…
abstract method A method with the abstract reserved word in its header. An abstract method has no method body. Methods defined in an interface are always abstract.
abstract schema The part of an entity bean's deployment descriptor that defines the bean's persistent fields and relationships.
abstract schema name A logical name that is referenced in EJB QL queries.
Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) A collection of graphical user interface (GUI) components that were implemented using native-platform versions of the components.
Abstraction Abstraction involves changing the interface of an object and exposing it in a more useful or appropriate form.
access control The mechanisms for limiting access to certain information based on a user's identity and membership in various predefined groups.
accessor method A method specifically designed to provide access to a private attribute of a class.
accessor methods A "method" used to indirectly inspect or update an "object"'s state (its instance variables).
ACID A solution that has an excess of hydrogen ions (H+).
activation The process of converting a storage group copy to a production storage group. Local continuous replication (LCR) and standby continuous replication (SCR)…
actor See client.
actual argument The value of an argument passed to a method from outside the method. When a method is called, the actual argument values are copied into the corresponding…
actual arguments The scalar values that you supply to a "function" or "subroutine" when you call it.
actual parameter See actual argument.
actual parameter list The arguments specified in a particular method call. See also formal parameter list.
address operator Some languages work directly with the memory addresses of values, but this can be like playing with fire.
address space Address information that identifies a message and its route. [Exchange 5.5]
Agent Agent means any individual, other than a broker-dealer, who represents a broker-dealer or issuer in effecting or attempting to effect purchases or sales…
aggregation A ground for rejection of a patent claim that is based on a lack of cooperation among the elements of an invention. MPEP 2173.05(k).
Algorithm A detailed formula or set of steps for solving a particular problem. To be an algorithm, a set of rules must be unambiguous and have a clear stopping…
alias Called by another name.
aliases Multiple references to a single object. Messages may be sent to the object via any of its aliases. A resulting state change will be detectable by all.
Alternatives Courses of action that may meet the objectives of a proposal at varying levels of accomplishment, including the most likely future conditions without the…
AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service) Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) is a first-generation analog, circuit-switched cellular phone network.
anonymous Used to describe a "referent" that is not directly accessible through a named "variable".
anonymous access A type of access that allows users and servers to access a server without first authenticating with it.
anonymous array An array created without an identifier. An anonymous array is usually created as an actual argument, for instance // Create an anonymous array of integers.
anonymous class An unnamed class. When restrictions are used to describe classes, they actually specify anonymous superclasses of the class being described.
anonymous object An object created without an identifier. They are usually created as array elements, actual arguments or method results.
API Ascent-Phase Intercept.
API (Application Programming Interface) A set of functions that gives programmers access to another application's internal features from within their own application.
append mode A file writing mode, in which the existing contents of a file are retained when the file is opened. New contents are appended to the existing.
applet Applets are Java programs based around the Applet or JApplet classes. They are most closely associated with the ability to provide active content within…
applet container A container that includes support for the applet programming model.
Application Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), an oral or written request for an extension of credit that is made in accordance with the procedures…
application assembler A person who combines J2EE components and modules into deployable application units.
application client A first-tier J2EE client component that executes in its own Java virtual machine. Application clients have access to some J2EE platform APIs.
application client container A container that supports application client components.
application client module A software unit that consists of one or more classes and an application client deployment descriptor.
application component provider A vendor that provides the Java classes that implement components' methods, JSP page definitions, and any required deployment descriptors.
application configuration resource file An XML file used to configure resources for a JavaServer Faces application, to define navigation rules for the application, and to register converters…
Application programming interface (API) A set of definitions that you can make use of in writing programs. In the context of Java, these are the packages, classes, and interfaces that can be…
architecture The term architecture refers to the hardware, software or combination of hardware and software comprising a computer system or network.
archiving reducing the strain of storing data by backing it up, removing it from its native environment, and storing it elsewhere. [...
argument Information passed to a method. Arguments are also sometimes called parameters.
ARGV The name of the array containing the "argument" "vector" from the command line.
arithmetic expression An expression involving numerical values of integer or floating point types. For instance, operators such as +, -, *, / and % take arithmetic expressions…
arithmetic operator Operators, such as +, -, *, / and %, that produce a numerical result, as part of an arithmetic expression.
arithmetical operator A "symbol" such as + or / that tells Perl to do the arithmetic you were supposed to learn in grade school.
ARPANET ARPA Network.
array An Array is a single server type used for horizontal scaling. It may be a single worker slave task plugged into our Grid system to scale based on the…
array context An archaic expression for what is more correctly referred to as "list context".
array initializer An initializer for an array. The initializer takes the place of separate creation and initialization steps.
asant A Java-based build tool that can be extended using Java classes. The configuration files are XML-based, calling out a target tree where various tasks get…
ASCII An acronym for American Standard Code that allocates a number to each key on the keyboard and that can be traded and read by most computer systems.
assembler The program used to translate a program written in assembly language into the binary form of a particular instruction set.
assembly language A symbolic language corresponding closely to the instruction set of a Central Processing Unit.
assertion A component of a "regular expression" that must be true for the pattern to match but does not necessarily match any characters itself.
Assignment Assignment occurs when someone who has written, or sold, a listed option receives a notice that the option has been exercised and he or she must fulfill…
assignment operator The operator (=) used to store the value of an expression into a variable, for instance variable = expression; The right-hand-side is completely evaluated…
assignment statement A statement using the assignment operator.
associative array See "hash". Please.
associativity Determines whether you do the left "operator" first or the right "operator" first when you have "A "operator" B "operator" C" and the two operators are of…
asynchronous Said of events or activities whose relative temporal ordering is indeterminate because too many things are going on at once.
Atom A particle of matter indivisible by chemical means. It is the fundamental building block of elements.
atomic Refers to an operation that is never interrupted or left in an incomplete state under any circumstance.
atomic operation When Democritus gave the word "atom" to the indivisible bits of matter, he meant literally something that could not be cut: a- (not) + tomos (cuttable).
attribute An attribute is a characteristic of data that sets it apart from other data, such as location, length, or type.
authentication The process of validating the credentials of a person, computer process, or device.
Authorization The issuance of approval, by a credit card issuer, merchant, or other affiliate, to complete a credit card transaction.
authorization constraint An authorization rule that determines who is permitted to access a Web resource collection.
autoboxing Automatic conversion between reference and primitive types.
autogeneration A feature of "operator overloading" of objects, whereby the behavior of certain operators can be reasonably deduced using more fundamental operators.
autoincrement To add one to something automatically, hence the name of the ++ operator. To instead subtract one from something automatically is known as an…
autoload To load on demand. (Also called "lazy" loading.) Specifically, to call an AUTOLOAD subroutine on behalf of an undefined subroutine.
autosplit To split a string automatically, as the -a "switch" does when running under -p or -n in order to emulate "awk".
autovivification A Greco-Roman word meaning "to bring oneself to life". In Perl, storage locations (lvalues) spontaneously generate themselves as needed, including the…
AV Alterac Valley Battleground
awk Descriptive editing term--short for "awkward". Also coincidentally refers to a venerable text-processing language from which Perl derived some of its…
AWT (Abstract Windowing Toolkit) The Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT) provides a collection of classes that simplify the creation of applications with graphical user interfaces.