ECS 145: Scripting Languages & Their Applications

Subject
ECS 145
Title
Scripting Languages & Their Applications
Status
Active
Units
4.0
Learning Activities
Lecture: 3 hours
Discussion: 1 hour
Description
Goals and philosophy of scripting languages, with Python and R as prime examples. Applications include networking, data analysis and display, and graphical user interfaces (GUIs). GE Prior to Fall 2011: SciEng. GE: SE.
Prerequisites
ECS 034 or ECS 036C or ECS 060; or Consent of Instructor.
Enrollment Restrictions
Pass One open to Computer Science and Computer Science Engineering Majors only.

Summary of Course Content
The intended audience consists of both majors and nonmajors.

I. Basic Python and R programming, especially the object-oriented features.

II. Issues of design philosophy, especially in terms of lack of strong typing.

III. Comparisons between the two languages, in terms of power, clarity, degree of object-orientation, etc.

IV. Parallel processing.

V. Performance issues, such as overcoming interpreted nature of execution.

Illustrative Reading
Instructor's notes

Potential Course Overlap
The programming language R is used to some degree in course 132, but with a different and much narrower emphasis than in this course. Network programming is covered in detail in course 152B, whereas in this course the focus is as an application of Python and R, covered in far less detail than in course 152B.

Course Category

Upper Division