A source code is a text file that contains the instructions for a computer program. It is also known as the “code” or “script.” The source code is written in a programming language, such as C++, Java, or Python. The code is then compiled into a machine-readable format and executed by the computer.
The source code for a program can be written in any text editor, such as Notepad or TextEdit. However, many programmers prefer to use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), which provides tools to make writing and debugging code easier.
When a programmer makes changes to the source code of a program, they are said to be “patching” the program. A patch can be small, fixing just one bug, or it can be large, adding new features to the software. Once patches are made and tested on their own computers (known as their “development environment”), they are ready to be released to users (“production”).