Generations of computer programming languages

Computer program

A computer program (or software) is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer.

A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor.

The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute the instructions.

Computer Programming Language Generations

1. First generation Language (1GL)

A 1GL is a machine-level programming language.

No translator was used to compile or assemble the first-generation language. The first-generation programming instructions were entered through the front panel switches of the computer system.

The main benefit of programming in a first-generation programming language is that the code a user writes can run very fast and efficiently, since it is directly executed by the CPU.

However, machine language is a lot more difficult to learn than higher generational programming languages, and it is far more difficult to test if errors occur.

Eg:

101011000

100001010

2. Second generation Language (2GL)

2GL is a generational way to categorize assembly languages.

The code can be read and written by a programmer.

To run on a computer it must be converted into a machine readable form, a process called assembly.

Note: - An assembly language is a low-level programming language for computers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, and other programmable devices.

It implements a symbolic representation (mnemonics) of the machine codes and other constants needed to program a given CPU architecture.

An assembly language is thus specific to computer architecture.

The language is specific to a particular processor family and environment.

3. Third generation Language (3GL)

A 3GL is a refinement of a second-generation programming language.

A third generation language aims to refine the usability of the language in such a way to make it more users friendly.

A third generation language improves over a second generation language by having more refinement on the usability of the language itself from the perspective of the user.

First introduced in the late 1960s, FORTRAN, ALGOL and COBOL are early examples of this sort of language.

Most "modern" languages (BASIC, C, C++, C#, Pascal, and Java) are also third-generation languages.

Most 3GLs support structured programming.

4. Fourth-generation Language (4GL)

A 4GL (1970s-1990) is a programming language or programming environment designed with a specific purpose in mind, such as the development of commercial business software.

Some applications could be developed more rapidly by adding a higher-level programming language and methodology by using 4GL.

4GL and 5GL projects are more oriented toward problem solving and systems engineering.

All 4GLs are designed to reduce programming effort, the time it takes to develop software, and the cost of software development (RAD-Rapid Application Development).

Fourth-generation languages have often been compared to domain-specific programming languages.

Eg:

Clipper, SQL

5. Fifth-generation Language (5GL)

A 5GL is a programming language based around solving problems using constraints given to the program.

Fifth-generation languages are designed to make the computer solve a given problem without the programmer.

Fifth-generation languages are used mainly in artificial intelligence research.

Prolog, OPS5, and Mercury are examples of fifth-generation languages.