Here's a breakdown:
Imperative Programming:
* Focus: Tells the computer *how* to do something.
* Structure: Provides a sequence of instructions, step by step.
* Example: "Open the door, walk through the door, close the door."
Declarative Programming:
* Focus: Tells the computer *what* to do.
* Structure: Describes the desired outcome, not the process.
* Example: "Get to the other side of the door."
Think of it like baking a cake:
* Imperative: "Preheat the oven to 350°F. Crack two eggs. Mix the flour, sugar, and butter. Pour the batter into a pan. Bake for 30 minutes."
* Declarative: "Make a chocolate cake."
Key Differences:
* Control Flow: Imperative programming explicitly manages control flow, while declarative programming leaves it to the system.
* Side Effects: Imperative programming often relies on side effects (changing the state of the program), while declarative programming aims to minimize them.
* Readability: Declarative code is often considered more readable and easier to understand, especially for complex tasks.
Examples of Programming Languages:
* Imperative: C, Java, Python (can be used imperatively)
* Declarative: SQL, HTML, Prolog, Haskell (purely functional languages are declarative)
In Summary:
Declarative and imperative programming are distinct approaches to problem-solving. While imperative code specifies the steps, declarative code focuses on the desired result. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and the choice depends on the specific task at hand.