What Is Code In Computing And Elsewhere? - TechTarget

What are some other types of code?

To answer the question, "What is code?" it is important to understand that the term code has a few different meanings, as well as different applications.

Let's take a look at some of those now.

Cryptography code

In cryptography, code is the substitution of one word or phrase by another word, number or symbol for the purpose of concealing the original word or phrase.

This could be used to hide someone's true intention from prying eyes and ears or to designate a military mission such as in World War II when Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union was given the code name of Barbarossa.

Thus, encoding refers to the conversion of data into undecipherable symbols or false names, whereas decoding converts those symbols or the false name back into an understandable form.

Abbreviations or acronyms as code

Abbreviations and acronyms are also referred to as codes in the sense that they are shortened versions of a word, meant to symbolize the full word.

For example, when referencing a state, a reader might see the abbreviation FL and will understand that it is referring to the state of Florida.

Or, in healthcare, a patient that arrives at the hospital that is already deceased would have their medical chart notated with the acronym DOA, which indicates dead on arrival.

Other examples of acronyms include:

• BASIC for Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code
• COBOL for Common Business Oriented Language
• NOW for National Organization for Women
• WHO for World Health Organization
• OASIS for Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards

Genetic code

Additionally, in biology, the genetic material that makes up an organism and defines its development is referred to as the genetic code. This is also commonly referred to as DNA, an acronym for deoxyribonucleic acid.

It may sound like science fiction, but researchers have been working on encoding data into the double helix of DNA. This cutting-edge research promises a future storage technology with far higher storage densities (hence capacities) than today's flash, hard disk, optical and tape technologies.

(Editor's note: For the remainder of this definition, when we refer to code, we will be referencing it from the perspective of computer science.)