Arizona State University (ASU) CSE240 Introduction to Programming Languages Midterm Practice Exam

A syntax error occurs when the code does not conform to the rules of the programming language's syntax. This could be due to missing punctuation, incorrect use of keywords, mismatched parentheses, or improper structure, among other issues. Because these errors violate the grammatical rules of the language, they prevent the code from being compiled at all, meaning that the programmer cannot run the program until these issues are resolved.

In contrast, runtime errors occur during the execution of a program, after it has successfully compiled, which can lead to the program crashing or producing incorrect results. Algorithm errors and logical errors both may result in programs that run but do not produce the expected outcome, reflecting mistakes in the design of the algorithm or in the implementation of the logic but not hindering the compilation process. Thus, syntax errors are distinct in that they completely block the code from being compiled or executed, making them critical to identify and correct early in the programming process.