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.
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