What characterizes procedural programming?

Procedural programming is primarily characterized by its focus on functions and procedures. This programming paradigm organizes code into reusable blocks, known as procedures or functions, which define specific tasks or operations. Each function typically takes input, processes it, and produces output, allowing for structured and modular code design. The core idea is to use these functions to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts, which enhances code readability and maintainability.

In procedural programming, the flow of the program is driven by a sequence of statements and function calls rather than by the interactions of objects or classes, which are characteristic of object-oriented programming. This distinction emphasizes that procedural programming is fundamentally about defining a series of steps to be performed rather than structuring data in terms of objects and their interactions.

Other aspects, such as logic processing and mathematical computations, may indeed be present but are not defining features of procedural programming. The essence lies in the systematic grouping of code into procedures that can be invoked as needed.