The Howdy Glossary

Raptor is a visual programming language designed for teaching algorithm design, providing a graphical representation of programming concepts that can be easily translated into source code. It offers a user-friendly environment with simple syntax and structure, making it accessible for educators and students new to computer science. Raptor enables real-time feedback during flowchart creation, facilitating algorithm analysis and improvement before conversion into textual languages like Python or C++.

Created by Martin C. Carlisle at Concord University, Raptor was developed to help students grasp fundamental programming concepts through visual representation. Carlisle aimed to bridge the gap between graphical representation and textual programming languages, enhancing learning and understanding for novice programmers. The language's ability to simplify complex programming concepts into a visual format allows for a smoother learning curve and deeper comprehension of algorithm design principles.

Raptor differentiates itself from competitors like Scratch, Blockly, and Alice through its explicit focus on algorithm design education and direct translation of visual representations into source code. While Scratch targets children with block-based programming, Blockly provides a general visual editor for various applications, and Alice focuses on 3D animations; Raptor emphasizes algorithmic thinking with real-time feedback during flowchart creation. Its user-friendly interface makes it particularly useful for beginners in computer science by facilitating a seamless transition from visual understanding to coding proficiency in languages such as Python or C++, thus offering unique educational advantages in learning foundational programming skills.