Declarative vs. Imperative:
* Declarative: Focuses on *what* you want to achieve, not *how*. Think of it as describing the goal.
* Imperative: Focuses on the *steps* to achieve something. Think of it as giving instructions.
Examples:
* Declarative: "I want to buy a blue car."
* Imperative: "Go to the car dealership, look for blue cars, and buy one."
Declarative Statements:
Many declarative statements are indeed *statements* in the traditional sense of the word:
* "The sky is blue." (A statement of fact)
* "I am happy." (A statement of feeling)
Beyond Statements:
"Declarative" also applies to programming paradigms and other contexts:
* Declarative Programming: Focuses on describing the desired outcome (like SQL queries).
* Declarative Syntax: How something is expressed (like CSS stylesheets).
In Summary:
"Declarative" has a core meaning of describing *what* rather than *how*. While many declarative expressions are statements, the term also applies to more complex concepts like programming styles and syntax.