language Any
programming language in which the programmer specifies an explicit sequences of steps to follow to produce a result (an
algorithm).
The term should not be confused with "
imperative language" - a language that specifies explicit manipulation of state. An example (non-imperative) procedural language is
LOGO, which specifies sequences of steps to perform but does not have an internal state.
Other procedural languages include
Basic,
Pascal,
C, and
Modula-2.
Both procedural and imperative languages are in contrast to declarative languages, in which the programmer specifies neither explicit steps nor explicit state manipulation.
(2004-05-17)