Evolution of programming languages

Programming has gone through a series of changes and paradigm shifts throughout history:

• Ada Lovelace wrote the first algorithm for a machine, the Analytical Engine, in the 1840s. Lovelace is considered the first computer programmer and the first to recognize that the machine had applications beyond pure calculation.
• In the 1940s, the first programmable computers were created. These computers were programmed using punch cards. One such computer was the Harvard Mark I, which was used to calculate the trajectory of artillery shells. Also, Bombe is worth mentioning, which was used to crack the Enigma code during World War II and was instrumental in the Allies winning the war.
• In the 1950s, the first high-level programming languages were created. This time period saw the birth of FORTRAN, LISP, COBOL, and ALGOL. Some of these languages are still in use today, especially in banking systems, scientific computing, and defense.
• In the 1970s, the first object-oriented programming languages were created. The 1970s meant we got Smalltalk, C++, and Objective-C. Except for Smalltalk, these languages are heavily in use today.
• In the 1990s, the first functional programming languages were created. The 1990s gave us Haskell, OCaml, and Scala. The benefit of these languages is that they encourage immutability and pure functions, which makes them easier to reason about and test.
• In the 2000s, the first declarative programming languages were created. Declarative programming languages are used to describe what you want to do, rather than how you want to do it. The 2000s gave us SQL, HTML, and CSS.
• In the 2010s, the first low-code and no-code platforms were created. These platforms opened programming to a wider audience, and allowed anyone, regardless of technical background, to build applications.
• In the 2020s, the first AI assistants were created that leveraged natural language. If you can write a sentence, you can write code.

In summary, programming has gone through a series of changes and paradigm shifts. Prompt-first programming is the latest paradigm shift and mastering it will be key to staying relevant in the immediate future.

Looking ahead

If changes and paradigm shifts took years or decades in the past, they now take months or even weeks. We’re moving toward a new world at breakneck speed.

There’s reason to be excited, as we’re moving faster than before, but as always, we should exercise caution. We should be aware of the risks and the dangers of using these tools irresponsibly, but most of all we should be aware of the opportunities.

As Alan Kay once said, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”