What Is Programming?

TWO YEARS AGO, when visiting research colleagues in Uppsala, Sweden, we were asked a deceptively simple question: "What does it mean to program?" For context, one of us had just completed academic education and training in computer science and was already deeply involved in actually teaching introductory programming (CS1). Arguably, he was (and still is) capable of programming. The other completed his Ph.D. degree in 2003 and has been teaching programming (in various forms) ever since. Yet, the question took us by surprise; after all: "What is programming?" To the reader, it may appear a ridiculous question to ask for two reasons. You may find yourself having a very clear and succinct definition and conceptualization of (the idea of) programming. Or, you may question what value it brings to discuss such a trivial question. However, we believe the answers to this question may shed light on the future of programming in the age of generative artificial intelligence (AI). We approach an answer to the question by an exploration of the history of computing as well as opinions among contemporary introductory programming educators.