Chapter and Verse Program Description

Abstract

The design of a program is rarely a straightforward mapping from the problem solution to the code. More frequently, fragments of high level concepts are distributed over one or more modules such that it is hard to identify the fragments which belong to one particular concept. These mappings have to be untangled and described in order to give a complete picture of how the program implements the ideas. The Chapter and Verse method of program description emphasizes the high level concepts which underlie a program, and the relationship between these concepts and the low level structure of program code. The organization of the description is similar to that of a textbook. The Chapter and Verse description aids in the use, modification, and evaluation of computer programs by promoting a full understanding of the programs.