The meaning of constructs in a programming language, including their permitted values and execution behavior. Programming language syntax organizes constructs; a type system and execution rules give further constraints and meaning.
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Programming language semantics is a subfield of computer science that focuses on the meaning of programming languages and their constructs. While syntax deals with the formal rules that govern the structure of programs (how code is written), semantics is concerned with the meaning behind that code—what the code actually does when executed. Semantics can be categorized into several different types: 1. **Operational Semantics**: This approach defines the meaning of a program in terms of the operations that take place during execution.