I.C programming is the process of transferring a computer program

Computer program

A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...

 into an integrated computer circuit. Older types of IC including PPOMs and EPROM

EPROM

An EPROM , or erasable programmable read only memory, is a type of memory chip that retains its data when its power supply is switched off. In other words, it is non-volatile. It is an array of floating-gate transistors individually programmed by an electronic device that supplies higher voltages...

s and some early programmable logic was typically programmed through parallel busses that used many of the device's pins and basically required inserting the device in a separate programmer.

Modern ICs are typically programmed in circuit though a serial

Serial communications

In telecommunication and computer science, serial communication is the process of sending data one bit at a time, sequentially, over a communication channel or computer bus. This is in contrast to parallel communication, where several bits are sent as a whole, on a link with several parallel channels...

 protocol (sometimes JTAG

JTAG

Joint Test Action Group is the common name for what was later standardized as the IEEE 1149.1 Standard Test Access Port and Boundary-Scan Architecture. It was initially devised for testing printed circuit boards using boundary scan and is still widely used for this application.Today JTAG is also...

 sometimes something manufacturer specific). Some (particularly FPGAs) even load the data serially from a separate flash or prom chip on every startup.