a function or routine is a programmer's term for a process a program executes. Routines do different things; there's a routine for saving a file, displaying it on a screen, etc. Local routines are those that execute on the same computer, while remote procedural calls execute routines on other computers. See also: remote procedural call.

An operation or event called for in a computer software instruction.

In programming, a self-contained software routine that peforms a job for the program it is written in or for some other program. The function performs the operation and returns control to the instruction following the calling instruction or to the calling program. Programming languages provide a set of standard functions and may allow programmers to define others. For example, the C language is built entirely of functions.

A block of programming code which is used to do a routinely done set of instructions.

(1) The characteristic actions, operations, or kind of work a person or thing is supposed to perform; e.g., the engineering function or the material-handling function. (2) The operation called for in a computer software instruction. (7/96)