Programming language theory

Programming language theory is a branch of computer science that deals with the design, implementation, analysis, characterization, and classification of programming languages and their individual features. It falls within the discipline of computer science, both depending on and affecting mathematics, software engineering, and linguistics. It is an active research area, with numerous dedicated academic journals.

History

The first programming languages predate the modern computer. At the end of the 19th century, Herman Hollerith invented the recording of data on a machine-readable medium. Later, inventors like Konrad Zuse and Alan Turing further developed the concept.

The first high-level programming language was Fortran, designed in 1957 by John Backus for IBM. The development of such languages led to a better understanding of the properties of a programming language and the need for theoretical foundations.

Design and Implementation

The design of a programming language is a process that involves a lot of decisions. Each decision has consequences and can affect the way the language is used. The implementation of a programming language is also a complex task that requires a deep understanding of both computer hardware and software.

Analysis

The analysis of a programming language involves understanding its properties and how it can be used to solve problems. This can involve formal methods such as type theory and formal semantics.

Characterization

Characterization involves categorizing programming languages based on their features. This can be done in many ways, such as by their paradigm (procedural, object-oriented, functional, etc.), their usage (general-purpose, system, scripting, domain-specific, etc.), or their syntax and semantics.

Classification

Classification is the task of placing programming languages into categories. This is often done based on their features, such as static vs dynamic typing, strong vs weak typing, and so on.

See also

• List of programming languages
• Comparison of programming languages
• Compiler theory
• Formal semantics of programming languages
• Type theory

References

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