FORTRAN: The Pioneer of High-Level Programming Languages

August 25, 2024 3 min read Technology Computer Science Programming High-Level Language IBM History of Computing Mathematical Formulas

FORTRAN, developed by IBM in the late 1950s, was the first language allowing programmers to describe calculations by means of mathematical formulas.

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FORTRAN (short for “formula translation”) is a computer programming language developed by IBM in the late 1950s. It was the first high-level language that allowed scientists and engineers to express computations in a notation similar to mathematical formulas.

Historical Context

Development by IBM

FORTRAN was created by a team of IBM programmers led by John W. Backus. The project began in 1953, and the language was released to the public in 1957. It was designed to reduce the complexity of programming, which at the time relied heavily on low-level assembly language and machine code.

Initial Goals and Success

The primary goal was to create a programming language that could be efficiently translated into machine code. The success of FORTRAN laid the groundwork for the development of many subsequent high-level programming languages.

Technical Features

Mathematical Formula Translation

A key feature of FORTRAN is its ability to directly interpret mathematical formulas, making it particularly suitable for scientific and engineering applications. For example:

1    REAL :: a, b, c, x
2    x = (-b + SQRT(b**2 - 4*a*c)) / (2*a)

Here, the quadratic formula is represented in a form very close to mathematical notation.

Functional Abstraction

FORTRAN also introduced functional abstraction, allowing programmers to write reusable code blocks known as subroutines and functions.

1    SUBROUTINE SQAREA(A, SIDE)
2    REAL :: A, SIDE
3    A = SIDE ** 2
4    END SUBROUTINE SQAREA

Performance Optimization

FORTRAN was specifically optimized for numerical and scientific computation. Its compilers are known to produce highly optimized machine code, making FORTRAN programs often run faster compared to other high-level languages of the time.

Types and Evolution

FORTRAN I to FORTRAN IV

FORTRAN I (1957): The initial version providing the basic language structure.
FORTRAN II (1958): Introduced subroutines, functions, and the COMMON statement.
FORTRAN IV (1961): Brought standardized input/output operations and improved array handling.

Modern FORTRAN

FORTRAN has evolved significantly, with the latest standards including features like object-oriented programming, parallel processing capabilities, and enhanced data types:

FORTRAN 90: Introduced array processing and modular programming.
FORTRAN 95: Added pointers and enhanced memory management.
FORTRAN 2003 and 2008: Brought support for object-oriented programming and parallelism.
FORTRAN 2018: Included coarray features for parallel processing.

Applications and Use Cases

FORTRAN remains widely used in domains requiring intensive numerical computations, such as:

Weather Forecasting: Numerical models to simulate atmospheric behavior.
Finite Element Analysis: Used in engineering for structural analysis.
Computational Fluid Dynamics: Simulations of fluid flows in various scientific fields.
Astrophysics: Calculations involving large-scale scientific data processing.

Comparisons

Vs. COBOL: While FORTRAN focuses on scientific computations, COBOL is tailored for business data processing.
Vs. C: C offers more control over hardware but is less optimized for numerical computations compared to FORTRAN.

Compiler: A program that translates high-level language code into machine code.
ALGOL: Another early high-level programming language with a structure-focused syntax.

FAQs

Is FORTRAN still used today?

Yes, FORTRAN is still used, especially in scientific and engineering applications where performance is critical.

How does FORTRAN compare to modern programming languages?

FORTRAN excels in numerical and high-performance computing, though it lacks many modern programming conveniences such as robust standard libraries and extensive support for GUIs and web development.

What is the main advantage of using FORTRAN?

The main advantage of FORTRAN is its efficiency and optimization for numerical computations, which makes it a preferred choice for scientific research and heavy computational tasks.

References

Backus, J. W., et al. (1957). “The FORTRAN Automatic Coding System,” IBM.
McCracken, D.D. (1961). “A Guide to FORTRAN Programming,” Wiley.

Summary

FORTRAN stands out as one of the most significant languages in the history of programming, primarily due to its pioneering role in enabling high-level computational programming. While it has evolved over the years to include modern programming features, its core strength remains in its ability to efficiently handle complex mathematical and scientific computations.