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2.2 Generation of Programming Language

Generation of programming language

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10 views

2.2 Generation of Programming Language

Generation of programming language

Uploaded by

dhruvkolare04
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Generation of

Programming Language
Prepared by: Devyani Soni
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Introduction

 Programming languages have evolved significantly over time, moving from


fundamental machine-specific code to complex languages that are simpler to
write and understand.

 Each new generation of programming languages has improved, allowing


developers to create more efficient, human-readable, and adaptable
software.

 The transition from the first low-level languages to current, high-level


languages offered new tools and ideas that continue to influence how we
write software today.
First Generation (1940s - 1950s)

 The first generation of programming languages is machine language, the most basic
form of programming. Machine language consists of binary code - ones and zeros -
that is directly executed by a computer's CPU. It is highly specific to the architecture of
the computer hardware.

• Characteristics: Purely binary, difficult to read and write for humans.


• Examples: No named examples, as it varies by hardware.
• Impact: Laid the groundwork for computer programming, but was cumbersome and
error-prone.
Second Generation (1950s - 1960s)

 Assembly language is a step above machine language, providing a slight abstraction. It


uses mnemonic codes or symbols to represent machine language instructions, making
it slightly easier for humans to understand and write.

• Characteristics: Still hardware-specific, but more readable than binary code.


• Examples: NASM, MASM.
• Impact: Made programming more accessible, yet still required deep hardware
knowledge.
Third Generation (1960s - 1970s)

 The third generation introduced high-level programming languages, which are closer
to human languages and abstract away much of the hardware-specific details.

• Characteristics: Syntax resembles human languages, with powerful constructs that


allow for complex operations with simple statements.
• Examples: C, Fortran, COBOL, Pascal, BASIC.
• Impact: Significantly increased productivity and accessibility in programming. Enabled
the development of complex software systems.
Fourth Generation Languages (1980s - 1990s)

 Fourth-generation languages (4GLs) are even more abstracted and aim at higher
productivity and simplicity in solving specific problems. They are often used in
database querying, report generation, and data manipulation.

• Characteristics: Focus on reducing programming effort and closer to natural language.


• Examples: SQL, MATLAB, SAS, Visual Basic.
• Impact: Enhanced productivity in specific domains, such as data analysis and database
management.
Fifth Generation: (1980s - Present)

 Fifth-generation languages focus on problem-solving using constraints rather than


algorithms. They are used in developing artificial intelligence, expert systems, and
natural language understanding.

• Characteristics: Use of logic and declarative programming paradigms.


• Examples: Prolog, Lisp, Mercury.
• Impact: Pushed forward the development of AI and complex problem-solving systems.
End

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