This tutorial contains a systematic description of the basic concepts and methods of programming . The main goal of the authors is to present the principles of programming, and not to give a description of a specific programming language. Special attention is paid to the process of program development, which is based on the principles of structural programming. The programming process is presented on the basis of the Pascal algorithmic language, which has a structural approach. At the same time, programs written in Pascal are very reliable. The main reason for this is the strong typing in the Pascal language and the presence of a rich set of data types. This, in turn, ensures readability and high mobility of programs. The task of programming is to study the activity, Comparison of different methods and means , Finding the Best , generalization of these techniques up to the construction of formal models , Some aspects of this work, and recommendations for more successful implementation of activities. The book is designed for students of higher educational institutions, as well as specialists. Initial concepts of programming. Data Structures and Algorithms . Recursive approach in programming. Design and development of programs. Testing and debugging. An example of the development of an automation system for processing checks in the store