Purpose vs Function of a Computer Program

1. Purpose

• Definition: The purpose describes why the program exists. It explains the overarching goal or intent of the program.
• Focus: It is focused on the broader problem the program is solving or the benefit it provides to the user.
• Example for Your Movie Recommendation System: The purpose of the program is to help users discover movies they might enjoy by recommending movies based on their genre preferences and ratings.

2. Function

• Definition: The function describes what the program does. It focuses on the specific operations, processes, or actions the program performs to achieve its purpose.
• Focus: It is focused on the implementation details or outputs of the program.
• Example for Your Movie Recommendation System: The function of the program is to collect user ratings for movies, calculate average ratings for each genre, and recommend movies from the genre with the highest average rating.

Key Difference

• Purpose: The why (big picture).
• Function: The what (specific tasks or operations).

When answering questions about your program, think of the purpose as the "mission statement" and the function as the "step-by-step actions."