General:
A complete instruction for solving a task, together will all the necessary agreements.
For controls:
All the various instructions and agreements for signal processing which will influence a system (process) to be controlled in relation to the task (DIN 66 257).
In principle, the program for a binary or digital control can be defined either in terms of the type of functional elements and their connections (hard-wire programmed control systems) or as a series of instructions saved in memories (memory programmable control systems). Both groups include a range of variants.
A distinction is made between a machine program and a part(s) program whereby the latter is a program created with a view to manufacturing a specific part.
An RTDP electronic data processing system:
Logical and complete sequence of instructions (work specifications) intended to provide a solution for a task with the help of a computer. The program is stored in the system's main memory. It provides the data to be processed or indicates where it is stored.
The program is written in a programming language and converted into the machine language (code) by an assembler or compiler.