imperative programming
Imperative programming is a software development paradigm where functions are implicitly coded in every step required to solve a problem. In imperative programming, every operation is coded and the code itself specifies how the problem is to be solved, which means that pre-coded models are not called on.
Imperative programming requires an understanding of the functions necessary to solve a problem, rather than a reliance on models that are able to solve it. The focus of imperative programming is how the problem should be solved, which requires a detailed step-by-step guide. Because the written code performs the functions instead of models, the programmer must code each step. Procedural and object-oriented programming (OOP) languages fall under imperative programming, such as C, C++, C#, and Java.
Imperative vs. declarative programming
Imperative programming contrasts with declarative programming, in which how a problem is solved is not specifically defined, but instead focuses on what needs to be solved. Declarative programming provides a constant to check to ensure the problem is solved correctly, but does not provide instructions on how to solve the problem. The exact manner in which the problem is solved is defined by the programming language’s implementation through models. Declarative programming is also called model-based programming. Functional, domain-specific (DSL) and logical programming languages fit under declarative programming, such as SQL, HTML, XML and CSS.
A simplified example to distinguish between an imperative and declarative approach is to think of giving driving directions. An imperative approach would provide step by step instructions on how to arrive at a given destination. A declarative approach would provide the address of the destination, without concern about how it’s found.
The models from which declarative programming gets its functions are created through imperative programming. As better methods for functions are found through imperative programming, they can be packaged into models to be called upon by declarative programming.