Covering a variety of areas including software analysis, design, coding and maintenance, this text details the research conducted since the 1970s in this fast-developing field before going on to define a computer program from the viewpoint of computing and cognitive psychology. The two essential sides of programming, software production and software understanding, are given detailed treatment, with parallels drawn throughout between studies on processing texts written in natural language and processing computer programs. Of particular interest to researchers, practitioners and graduates in cognitive psychology, cognitive ergonomics and computer science.