A programmer uses an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to write a computer program. The IDE has both a compiler and an interpreter as built-in translators.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] (a) Creates an executable file
2. [1] (a) so the code can be tested multiple times without having to recompile
3. [1] (a) so repeated testing takes less time
4. [1] (b) For coding: IDE feature: Context-sensitive prompts
5. [1] (b) For coding: Description: Gives suggestions for code as the user types instead of having to write/remember the code
6. [1] (b) For coding (alternative): IDE feature: Auto-correct
7. [1] (b) For coding (alternative): Description: Corrects spelling mistakes so that user has fewer errors to correct
8. [1] (b) For presentation: IDE feature: Pretty-printing
9. [1] (b) For presentation: Description: Colour code keywords so the user can identify any errors
10. [1] (b) For presentation (alternative): IDE feature: Expand/collapse (code) blocks
11. [1] (b) For presentation (alternative): Description: The user can hide code that they are not currently working on
12. [1] (b) For debugging: IDE feature: Single stepping
13. [1] (b) For debugging: Description: Run the code one line at a time // shows the effect of each line of code
14. [1] (b) For debugging (alternative): IDE feature: Breakpoints
15. [1] (b) For debugging (alternative): Description: Stop the code running at a set point to check the flow/variable contents
16. [1] (c) Saves programming/testing time as code does not have to be written/re-written from scratch // code does not have to be tested
17. [1] (c) Code is already tested so it is more robust/likely to work
18. [1] (c) The programmer does not need to maintain the library // library routines are updated automatically
19. [1] (c) Can perform complex calculations that the programmer may be unable to do
20. [1] (c) Makes code more easily readable