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pseudosyntax

Pseudosyntax is an informal, non-executable representation of the structure of a language, algorithm, or interface that resembles formal syntax but does not specify exact rules for a particular language. It is used to convey the organization of constructs, control flow, and relationships without committing to concrete syntax or semantics.

Pseudosyntax differs from pseudocode and from formal syntax. It focuses on the arrangement and hierarchy of

Examples of pseudosyntax are typically aimed at illustrating structure rather than enforcing a language’s rules. A

Uses of pseudosyntax include teaching programming concepts, documenting language features in design specifications, outlining API command

elements
rather
than
providing
step-by-step
executable
instructions,
and
it
deliberately
avoids
a
complete
grammar
or
precise
tokenization.
Common
conventions
include
the
use
of
generic
keywords
such
as
IF,
THEN,
ELSE,
FOR,
WHILE,
and
placeholders
like
<variable>,
<expression>,
or
<condition>,
along
with
indentation
or
brackets
to
indicate
blocks.
The
exact
spelling,
punctuation,
and
case
are
often
flexible,
reflecting
the
reader’s
needs
rather
than
a
machine-interpretable
standard.
loop
might
be
described
as:
for
<i>
from
1
to
<n>,
do
<body>,
end
for.
A
conditional
might
be
written
as:
if
<condition>
then
<action>
else
<alternative>
end
if.
Such
forms
show
where
actions
occur,
but
not
the
precise
syntax
of
any
specific
programming
language.
structures,
and
communicating
algorithm
outlines
in
a
language-agnostic
way.
Its
main
limitation
is
ambiguity:
without
formal
rules,
interpretations
can
vary
between
readers
and
implementations,
making
it
unsuitable
for
automated
parsing
or
formal
verification.