From punch cards to its current languages for the web, the evolution of the world of programming.
There are more than 2,000 different programming languages in existence, although most programs are written in one of several popular languages, like BASIC, COBOL, C++, or Java.
Programming languages have different strengths and weaknesses. Depending on the kind of program being written, the computer will run on, the experience of the programmer, and the way, in which the program will be used, the suitability of one programming language over another will vary.
When people refer to programming languages, they normally mean one of many different kinds of high-level languages or fourth-generation languages that reside above the level of assembly language. Unlike machine and assembly languages, high-level languages resemble human grammar and syntax more closely, and are often portable to different operating systems and machines.
Three programming languages were instrumental in opening the lines of communication between programmers and computers. FORTRAN, COBOL, and ALGOL were created around the 1950s and many variations of these languages were still in use during the early 2000s.
Programming languages can be classified as low-level and high-level languages. Low-level programming languages include machine language and assembly language.
Machine language, which is referred to as a first generation programming language, can be used to communicate directly with the computer. However, it is difficult to program in machine language because the language consists of 0s and 1s to represent the status of a switch (0 for off and 1 for on).

Assembly language uses the same instructions and structure as machine language but the programmer is able to use meaningful names or abbreviations instead of numbers. Assembly language is referred to as a second generation programming language.
High-level programming languages are often referred to as third generation programming languages (3GL), were first developed in the late 1950s. High-level programming languages have English-like instructions and are easier to use than machine language. High-level programming languages include FORTRAN, C, BASIC, COBOL, and Pascal.
In order for the computer to understand a program written in a high-level language, programmers convert the source code into machine language using a compiler or an interpreter.
A Compiler is a program that converts an entire program into machine code before the program is executed.
An Interpreter translates and executes an instruction before moving on to the next instruction in the program. Thus once a program is written in a high-level language, a program called a compiler or an interpreter is used to convert it to a computer's specific machine language, much like an assembler converts assembly code into machine language.
A compiler translates an entire program into machine language. Once translated, a program can execute by itself. An interpreter reads your program source code and performs the operations specified without actually translating the code into machine language. The interpreter program executes the program you create, so your program always requires the interpreter.
In the 1980s, Object-oriented programming (OOP) evolved out of the need to better develop complex programs in a systematic, organized approach. The OOP approach allows programmers to create modules that can be used over and over again in a variety of programs. These modules contain code called classes, which group related data and actions. Properly designed classes encapsulate data to hide the implementation details, are versatile enough to be extended through inheritance, and give the programmer options through polymorphism. Object-oriented languages include Java, C++ and Visual Basic.
Fourth generation languages (4GL), such as SQL, have higher English-like instructions than most high-level languages and are typically used to access databases.
Each of the programming language generations aims to provide a higher level of abstraction of the internal computer hardware details, making the language more programmer-friendly, powerful and versatile. While the definition of 4GL has changed over time, it can be typified by operating more with large collections of information at once rather than focusing on just bits and bytes. Languages claimed to be 4GL may include support for database management, report generation, mathematical optimization, GUI development, or web development. Fourth-generation languages have often been compared to domain-specific languages (DSLs). Some researchers state that 4GLs are a subset of DSLs.
Fifth generation languages are used for artificial intelligence.
The integrated WINDEV language, W-Language, is powerful, simple and intuitive. It's a 5th generation language (5GL), which means that its commands are highly sophisticated, and replace dozens or hundreds of 4GL commands, simplifying programming. No more unnecessary complexity, no more incomprehensible APIs, no more out of bound pointers, no more useless programming!
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