Programming Language

Introduction

A Programming Language is a formal language comprising a set of instructions that produce various kinds of output. They are used in computer programming to implement algorithms. Most programming languages consist of instructions for computers. They are used to create programs that implement specific algorithms.

History

The earliest known programming languages were assembly languages, not far removed from instructions directly executed by hardware. The very first high-level programming languages, or third-generation languages (3GL), were written in the 1950s. An early high-level programming language to be designed for a computer was Fortran, developed for the IBM 704 by John Backus at IBM.

An old computer with a black and green screen.

Types of Programming Languages

Programming languages can be categorized into several types. Some of the most common types include:

Procedural Programming Language: The procedural programming language is used to execute a sequence of statements which lead to a result. Typically, this type of language involves using procedures, or routines, that direct the computer to perform various computations.

Object-oriented Programming Language: This type of language uses a different set of programming paradigms based on the concept of "objects". These objects are essentially variables, but with additional properties and methods associated with them.

Functional Programming Language: Functional programming languages define every computation as a mathematical function. They focus on the concept of "function composition" and avoid changing-state and mutable data.

Scripting Language: Scripting languages are often procedural and may involve object-oriented elements, but they are typically used for shorter code snippets for tasks such as automating repetitive tasks.

Syntax and Semantics

In most programming languages, the syntax can be defined using a combination of regular expressions and Backus–Naur form. Semantics, on the other hand, is a language's "meaning". There are several different types of semantics, including denotational semantics, operational semantics, and axiomatic semantics.

Compilation and Interpretation

Programming languages are typically either compiled or interpreted. A compiled language is one where the program, once written, is translated completely to machine code, which is then executed by the computer. An interpreted language, on the other hand, is one where the program is not translated to machine code all at once, but rather is read and executed line by line.

Memory Management

Programming languages provide various methods of managing computer memory. Some languages have built-in support for memory management, while others require the programmer to manually manage memory. The latter can lead to various issues, such as memory leaks and buffer overflows, which can cause programs to become unstable or crash.

Concurrency

Concurrency is a property of systems in which multiple independent tasks are executing at the same time. Concurrency is a common challenge in programming since multiple tasks can become entangled, which can result in unpredictability and errors. Some programming languages have specific features to handle concurrency, such as concurrent data structures, atomic operations, and various types of locks.