Computers need programming languages to function. That’s just a simple fact of life. However, these languages didn’t just spring up out of nowhere. They were developed by people for explicit purposes.

The Java programming language emerged roughly 25 years ago, when Smalltalk and C++ dominated. Back then it was easy to argue that the world didn't need another object-oriented programming language.

Figured this might be the best place to ask. I'm curious if there's any good books that give some detail on how and/or why some programming languages evolved the way they did, especially during the ...

This video is part of Electronic Design's 70th Anniversary series. This is a bit like Mel Brooks History of the World, Part I for programmers. I've been writing a number of articles and recording ...

Bel is interesting, not least because it highlights the enduring and improbable longevity of one of the earliest high-level programming languages. That’s no small feat, especially given the ...

Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. A new year begins, and a new page opens for software development. Companies worldwide have ...

We ran a piece last year summarizing an IEEE study of programming-language popularity based on job listings. This article fostered conversation, including debates about whether the languages IEEE used ...