Programming language

A programming language or computer language is a standardized communication technique for expressing instructions to a computer. It is a set of syntactic and semantic rules used to define computer programs. A language enables a programmer to precisely specify what data a computer will act upon, how these data will be stored/transmitted, and precisely what actions to take under various circumstances.

Features of a programming language

Each programming language can be thought of as a set of formal specifications concerning syntax, vocabulary, and meaning.

These specifications usually include:

• Data and Data Structures

• Instruction and Control Flow

• Reference Mechanisms and Re-use

• Design Philosophy

Most languages that are widely used, or have been used for a considerable period of time, have standardization bodies that meet regularly to create and publish formal definitions of the language, and discuss extending or supplementing the already extant definitions.

History of programming languages

The development of programming languages, unsurprisingly, follows closely the development of the physical and electronic processes used in today's computers.

Charles Babbage is often credited with designing the first computer-like machines, which had several programs written for them (in the equivalent of assembly language) by Ada Lovelace. In the 1940s the first recognisably modern, electrically powered computers were created. Some military calculation needs were a driving force in early computer development, such as encryption, decryption, trajectory calculation and massive number crunching needed in the development of atomic bombs. At that time, computers were extremely large, slow and expensive: advances in electronic technology in the post-war years led to the construction of more practical electronic computers. At that time only Konrad Zuse imagined the use of a programming language (developed eventually as Plankalkül) like those of today for solving problems.

Subsequent breakthroughs in electronic technology (transistors, integrated circuits, and chips) drove the development of increasingly reliable and more usable computers. This was paralleled by the development of a variety of standardised computer languages to run on them. The improved availability and ease of use of computers led to a much wider circle of people who can deal with computers. The subsequent explosive development has resulted in the Internet, the ubiquity of personal computers, and increased use of computer programming, through more accessible languages such as Python, Visual Basic, etc..

Classifications of programming languages

• Array programming language

• Concatenative programming language

• Concurrent programming language

• Declarative programming language

• Domain-specific programming language

• Dynamic programming language

• Educational programming language

• Esoteric programming language

• Functional programming language

• General-purpose programming language

• Logic programming language

• Object-oriented programming language

• Procedural programming language

• Scripting programming language