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Computer Programming Languages

By Mike McGrath

Modern programming languages allow software to be written in a human-readable text format. The language's compiler application can then convert these into machine-readable byte format to create an efficient executable program. Choosing which programming language to learn depends on what you want to do. To help you decide here is a concise description of today's most popular programming languages...

C

The C programming language is a standardized computer programming language developed in the early 1970s by Dennis Ritchie for use on the Unix operating system. It has since spread to many other operating systems and is one of the most widely used programming languages. C is prized for its efficiency, and is the most popular programming language for writing system software, though it is also used for writing applications. It is also commonly used in computer science education despite not being designed for novices.
C Programming in easy steps

C++

C++ (pronounced "see plus plus") is a general-purpose computer programming language developed in the 1980s by Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs as an enhancement to the C programming language. C++ (originally named "C with Classes") is a statically typed language supporting procedural programming, data abstraction, object-oriented programming, and generic programming. Enhancements started with the addition of classes, followed by virtual functions, operator overloading, multiple inheritance, templates, and exception handling. Since the 1990s, C++ has been one of the most popular commercial programming languages.
C++ Programming in easy steps

C#

C# (pronounced "see sharp") is an object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft as part of their .NET initiative. Microsoft based C# on C++ and Java. C# was designed as a language that would provide syntax that would be comfortable for C++ and Java programmers, with rapid development functionality that would suit Visual Basic and Delphi programmers.
C# in easy steps

Java

Java is an object-oriented programming language developed in the early 1990s by James Gosling and colleagues at Sun Microsystems. Initially called Oak (named after the oak trees outside Gosling's office) it was intended to replace C. Java should not be confused with JavaScript, which shares only the name and a similar C-like syntax. Its motto of "write once run anywhere" describes its cross-platform intention to enable Java programs to execute correctly on any platform where the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is installed.
Java in easy steps

Visual Basic

Visual Basic (VB) is an event driven programming language created by Microsoft. It is derived heavily from the old BASIC language and has attracted one of the largest user bases in business programming. VB enables Rapid Application Development (RAD) of graphical user interface (GUI) applications, access to databases using DAO, RDO, or ADO, and creation of ActiveX controls. A programmer can quickly put together an application using intrinsic Visual Basic components.
Visual Basic in easy steps

About the author

Mike McGrath now lives in South-east Europe, on the sun-kissed shores of the Aegean Sea. Mike gained his extensive knowledge of computer languages while working as a developer contracting to companies around the world. His interests include coins of ancient Greece, dining-out with friends, and the ongoing evolution of the world wide web.

Books by Mike McGrath

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