Computing Dictionary
imperative language definition
language Any
programming language that specifies explicit manipulation of the state of the computer system, not to be confused with a
procedural language, which specifies an explicit sequence of steps to perform.
An example of an imperative (but non-procedural) language is a
data manipulation language for a
relational database management system. This specifies changes to the database but does not necessarily require anyone to specify a sequence of steps.
Both contrast with
declarative languages, which specify neither explicit state manipulation nor a sequence of steps.
(2007-10-02)
