The world of programming has come a long way since its inception, shaping the digital landscape we know today. From the earliest concepts of computational thinking to the modern programming languages that power our devices, the evolution of programming has been a fascinating journey. The quest to understand the first programming language takes us back to the roots of computer science, offering insights into the foundations of modern technology.
This article explores the historical development of programming languages, starting with the groundbreaking work of Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage. It delves into the early programming languages of the 1940s and 1950s, such as FORTRAN and COBOL, which paved the way for more advanced languages. The discussion then moves to the rise of high-level languages in the 1960s and 1970s, including C, Pascal, and BASIC, which had a significant impact on the field. By tracing this evolution, we gain a deeper understanding of how programming languages have shaped the computing world, from mainframes to personal computers running Windows and Linux.
Table of Contents
The Birth of Programming: Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage
The origins of modern programming can be traced back to the pioneering work of Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage in the Nineteenth Century. Their collaboration laid the foundation for computational thinking and the development of the first programming concepts.
The Analytical Engine
Charles Babbage, often referred to as “the father of computers,” conceived the idea of the Analytical Engine in 1837. This proposed mechanical computer was designed to be a general-purpose, fully program-controlled, automatic digital machine. The Analytical Engine was a significant leap forward from Babbage’s earlier invention, the Difference Engine, which was a simpler mechanical calculator.
The Analytical Engine incorporated several groundbreaking features that would become fundamental to modern computers. It had an arithmetic logic unit, control flow with conditional branching and loops, and integrated memory. These components made it the first design for a general-purpose computer that could be described as Turing-complete in modern terms.
One of the most innovative aspects of the Analytical Engine was its use of punched cards for input. This method, used in textile manufacturing inspired by the Jacquard loom, allowed for the input of both programs and data. The machine was designed to have a printer, a curve plotter, and a bell for output, as well as the ability to punch numbers onto cards for later use.
Ada Lovelace’s Algorithm
Ada Lovelace, an English mathematician and writer, played a crucial role in the development of early programming concepts. She met Charles Babbage in 1833 and became fascinated by his work on the Difference Engine. Their collaboration led to Lovelace’s significant contributions to the field of computing.
In 1842, Italian mathematician Luigi Federico Menabrea published a description of the Analytical Engine in French. Lovelace translated this paper into English in 1843, adding extensive annotations that greatly expanded on Menabrea’s original work. Her notes included a detailed description of how the Analytical Engine could be programmed to compute Bernoulli numbers.
This algorithm for calculating Bernoulli numbers is widely regarded as the first computer program. Lovelace’s work demonstrated that the Analytical Engine could carry out a sequence of mathematical operations, going beyond simple calculations. She even speculated that the machine could be used to manipulate symbols and perform operations on entities other than numbers, such as musical notes.
The Concept of Machine Instructions
Lovelace’s work on the Analytical Engine laid the groundwork for the concept of machine instructions. She recognized that the machine could follow a series of instructions to perform complex tasks, a fundamental principle of modern programming.
The Analytical Engine was designed to use three different types of punch cards: one for arithmetical operations, one for numerical constants, and one for load and store operations. This separation of instructions and data is a key concept in computer architecture that persists to this day.
Lovelace’s notes also touched on the idea of conditional branching, another crucial element of programming. The Analytical Engine was designed to have a kind of decision-making ability, allowing it to jump to different instructions based on the value of some data. This feature, known as conditional control transfer or conditional branching, was missing in many early computers of the 20th century, highlighting how far ahead of its time the Analytical Engine was.
While the Analytical Engine was never fully constructed during Babbage’s lifetime, the concepts developed by Babbage and Lovelace had a profound impact on the field of computing. Their work established the theoretical foundation for programmable computers and influenced the development of machine languages and high-level programming languages in the decades that followed.
Early Programming Languages (1940s-1950s)
The period from the 1940s to the 1950s saw significant advancements in programming languages, marking the transition from machine code to more user-friendly and efficient programming methods. This era laid the foundation for modern computing and introduced several key programming concepts that continue to influence software development today.
Assembly Language
In the late 1940s, assembly language emerged as a significant step forward in programming. It provided a symbolic representation of machine code instructions, making it easier for programmers to write and understand code. The first instance of assembly language appeared in 1947 in Kathleen and Andrew Donald Booth’s work, “Coding for A.R.C.”.
Assembly language introduced a one-to-one correspondence between its instructions and the machine’s architecture, allowing for greater control over hardware resources. It supported constants, comments, symbolic labels for memory locations and registers, and macros. This level of abstraction made programming more accessible and less error-prone compared to direct machine code programming.
The term “assembler,” which refers to the utility program that converts assembly code into executable machine code, was attributed to Wilkes, Wheeler, and Gill in their 1951 book “The Preparation of Programs for an Electronic Digital Computer”. Assembly language quickly gained popularity and saw widespread use in Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculators by 1949.
Autocode
Autocode, developed in the early 1950s, represented another significant leap in programming language evolution. It was a family of “simplified coding systems” created for digital computers at the Universities of Manchester, Cambridge, and London.
The first Autocode and its compiler were developed by Alick Glennie in nineteen fifty two for the Mark One computer at the University of Manchester. This is considered by some to be the 1st compiled programming language. Glennie’s primary goal was to increase the comprehensibility of programming for Mark one machines, which were known for their particularly abstruse machine code.
In 1954, R. A. Brooker planned the second Autocode for the Mark 1, which was developed in 1955 and called the “Mark 1 Autocode.” This version was nearly machine-independent and featured floating-point arithmetic, unlike its predecessor. Brooker also developed Mercury Autocode for the Ferranti Mercury in the 1950s, which had a limited repertoire of variables and resembled early versions of the later Dartmouth BASIC language.
The introduction of Autocode had a significant impact on the programming community. It allowed individual engineers to learn programming more easily, bridging the gap between the raw coding characteristics of early machines and the needs of average users. This provision was crucial for the acceptance of various computer systems, including the Ferranti Mercury, English Electric KDF9, and later ICL systems.
FORTRAN
FORTRAN (Formula Translation) emerged as a groundbreaking high-level programming language in the late 1950s. Developed by IBM under the leadership of John W. Backus, FORTRAN aimed to provide a more practical alternative to assembly language for programming the IBM 704 mainframe computer.
The development of FORTRAN began in late 1953, and the first manual for the language appeared in October 1956. The first FORTRAN compiler was delivered in April 1957. FORTRAN’s initial release for the IBM 704 contained 32 statements, including control statements, I/O operations, and mathematical functions.
FORTRAN’s significance lies in its ability to produce efficient code that was acceptable even to assembly language programmers. It liberated computers from the exclusive realm of programmers and opened them to scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. This democratization of programming allowed users to input their problems directly into the computer without relying on a programmer to translate their needs into machine code.
The language’s success was due in part to its optimizing compiler, which not only translated FORTRAN programs into machine code but also produced code that ran nearly as fast as handcrafted assembly. This efficiency, combined with increased programmer productivity and lower costs, led to FORTRAN’s widespread adoption.
FORTRAN’s impact on the field of computing was profound. It became the first computer language standard and is still in use today for various scientific and engineering applications, including weather forecasting, atmospheric and oceanic studies, and simulations of nanoparticles, genomes, and atomic structures.
The Rise of High-Level Languages (1960s-1970s)
The 1960s and 1970s witnessed a significant evolution in programming languages, with the emergence of high-level languages that made computing more accessible to a broader audience. This period saw the development of languages that would shape the future of programming and computing.
COBOL
COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language) emerged as a groundbreaking high-level programming language in 1959. Developed by a consortium called CODASYL (Conference/Committee on Data Systems Language), COBOL was designed to support business and financial applications. Its user-friendly syntax, which used English words and phrases, made it accessible to those with limited programming experience.
COBOL’s impact on the business world was profound. It became the dominant language for building business systems, with its influence extending well into the 21st century. As of 2023, an estimated 200 billion lines of COBOL code are still active, and 90% of Fortune 500 companies rely on COBOL for various operations. The language’s enduring legacy is evident in its continued use in critical sectors:
- 43% of banking systems still use COBOL
- 95% of ATM swipes are powered by COBOL applications
- COBOL applications support more than $3 trillion in daily commerce
COBOL’s persistence can be attributed to its reliability, accuracy, and the significant investment many enterprises have made in COBOL-based systems. For instance, as recently as 2012, the Bank of New York Mellon had to maintain 112,500 different COBOL programs, totaling 343 million lines of code.
BASIC
In 1964, another revolutionary language emerged: Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC). Developed by mathematicians John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth College, BASIC was designed to make programming accessible to beginners.
BASIC’s simplicity and ease of use made it a game-changer in the world of programming. As an interpreted language, it allowed programs to be written and executed line-by-line, making it ideal for learning and quick development. This approach resonated deeply with beginners and played a crucial role in democratizing programming.
The impact of BASIC extended beyond education. It became a cornerstone of the personal computer revolution in the 1970s and 1980s. When the first personal computers emerged in 1975, BASIC was ported to these new machines. This move was pivotal in the founding of Microsoft by Paul Allen and Bill Gates, who developed a version of BASIC for the Altair 8800.
BASIC’s influence was far-reaching:
- It was essential for Apple’s early growth, with Steve Wozniak porting BASIC to the Apple I
- It became a staple in home computers like the Atari 400, Commodore 64, and TRS-80
- Early IBM PCs had Cassette BASIC built into their hardware
Pascal
Developed in the early 1970s by Niklaus Wirth, Pascal was initially designed as a teaching tool for structured programming. Named after the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal, this language emphasized readability and structure, making it ideal for beginners learning programming fundamentals.
Pascal’s key features included:
- A syntax designed for simplicity and readability
- A structured programming model that allowed for fewer errors and bugs
- Division of code into smaller procedures and functions, enhancing maintainability
While Pascal’s popularity has waned in recent years, its influence on programming education and language design remains significant. It played a crucial role in applications for the IBM Personal Computer and desktop publishing and continues to be used in educational settings for teaching programming basics.
The rise of these high-level languages in the 1960s and 1970s marked a turning point in the history of programming. They made computing more accessible, paved the way for personal computing, and laid the foundation for many of the programming paradigms we use today.
Conclusion
The First Programming Language
The journey through the history of programming languages showcases the remarkable evolution of computer science. From Ada Lovelace’s groundbreaking algorithm to the rise of high-level languages like FORTRAN, COBOL, and BASIC, each step has played a key role in shaping the digital world we know today. These advancements have made programming more accessible, enabling a wider range of people to engage with technology and drive innovation.
Looking back at this progression gives us a deeper understanding of how far we’ve come and hints at the exciting possibilities that lie ahead. As programming continues to evolve, it’s clear that the foundations laid by these early pioneers and languages will keep influencing future developments. The ongoing impact of these early innovations reminds us of the lasting power of good ideas in the ever-changing world of technology.
FAQs
- What is considered the first programming language ever created?
The first programming language was developed by Ada Lovelace in 1883, known as the Analytical Engine Algorithm, which she created alongside Charles Babbage. This language was designed to compute Bernoulli’s numbers and is recognized as the initial programming language in history. - What is typically the first program written in a new programming language?
Commonly, the first program written by someone learning a new programming language is the “Hello, World!” program. This program is not only a learning tool but also serves as a basic test to verify that the system set up to compile or execute the code is functioning correctly. - Can you give a brief overview of the BASIC programming language?
BASIC, an acronym for Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, was created in 1963 by John Kemeney and Thomas Kurtz. It was initially designed for interactive use on mainframe computers but later became popular on personal computers across the globe. - What is the oldest programming language still in use today?
FORTRAN, short for Formula Translation, was established in 1957 and is the oldest programming language that remains in use. It is predominantly applied in scientific and numerical fields due to its powerful capabilities in handling complex mathematical computations.