Fortran, short for “Formula Translation,” is one of the earliest high-level programming languages. It was developed in the 1950s by IBM to facilitate scientific and engineering calculations.
In the early 1950s, scientific and engineering calculations were performed using machine code or assembly language, which was cumbersome and error-prone. There was a need for a more efficient way to perform complex mathematical computations.
IBM recognized the potential for a high-level language that could abstract away the complexities of machine code, making it easier for scientists and engineers to program their computers.
Development
The Fortran project began in 1954 under the leadership of John Backus, an IBM researcher. The project aimed to create a language that could translate mathematical formulas into machine code automatically with design goals such as:
- Efficiency: Ensure that the language could generate efficient machine code.
- Simplicity: Make it easier for users to write and understand programs.
- Portability: Provide a way to run programs on different computers with minimal modification.
Key Figures
- John Backus: Led the development of Fortran at IBM and was instrumental in its design and implementation.
- IBM Team: The team included other key figures such as Harlan Mills, Peter J. Smith, and William Kahan, who contributed to the language’s development and its early implementations.
Fortran I
Fortran I: The first version, known as Fortran I, was released in 1957. It introduced several concepts that were groundbreaking at the time:
- High-Level Syntax: Allowed users to write programs in a more readable form than machine code or assembly language.
- Automatic Code Generation: Translated high-level mathematical expressions into efficient machine code.
- Standard Libraries: Included a standard set of mathematical functions.
Early Fortran I code might have looked like this:
PROGRAM EXAMPLE
INTEGER I, J
REAL X, Y, RESULT
I = 5
J = 10
X = 12.5
Y = 7.3
RESULT = X * Y + I * J
PRINT *, 'The result is ', RESULT
ENDEvolution
- Fortran II (1958): Added support for functions and subroutines, allowing for more modular programming.
- Fortran III (1960): Included some theoretical improvements but was never widely used.
- Fortran IV (1962): Introduced more advanced features such as structured programming constructs and was widely adopted.
- Fortran 77 (1978): Introduced new features like string handling and structured programming constructs.
- Fortran 90 (1991): Introduced modern programming concepts such as array operations and modular programming.
- Fortran 95 (1997), 2003, 2008, and 2018: Continued to evolve with further enhancements in performance, parallel computing, and integration with modern programming practices.
Impact and Legacy
Fortran set a precedent for high-level programming languages and influenced the design of many subsequent languages.
It remains widely used in scientific computing, engineering simulations, and numerical analysis due to its efficient handling of complex mathematical computations.
Fortran has gone through several standard revisions, ensuring its relevance and compatibility with modern computing needs.
Fortran was created to simplify and streamline the process of programming complex mathematical and scientific calculations. Its development marked a significant step forward in programming language design, making it easier for users to write efficient code and laying the groundwork for future high-level languages.