What is the difference between a computer program and an algorithm?

Question

When I was growing up computer program was software. Now everyone talks about algorithm. What is the differance between the two?

In: 6

Answer 1

When you design an algorithm you don’t need to describe it using computer code at all. You could describe it in purely mathematical or logical terms.

Then, if you want to make a computer carry out the steps of the algorithm, you could use whatever programming language you like. You could imagine an algorithm being implemented in Python, in C++, in JavaScript, etc – if the same underlying logic is being followed in each, you’d have multiple computer programs but still only one algorithm.