Computing Atlas

How Computing Was Built
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Programming Language

APL

Array Language

APL (A Programming Language) is a programming language centered on multidimensional array processing, developed by Kenneth E. Iverson at Harvard University in the early 1960s, first as a mathematical notation for teaching and later implemented as an executable computer language at IBM. APL is distinguished by its extensive use of a special, non-standard symbol set, requiring specialized keyboards or input methods, and by operators that act on entire arrays at once rather than requiring explicit loops.

Facts
First Released
1966 1
Paradigm
Array, functional, structured, modular 1
Significance
An array based language that influenced spreadsheets, functional programming and computer math packages. 1
Connections

Base Language For

Direction correction: Dyalog APL is an implementation of the APL language, not the reverse.

Direction correction: GNU APL is an implementation of the APL language, not the reverse.

Direction correction: J was designed by Kenneth Iverson as a successor notation to APL, not the reverse.

Direction correction: K was designed by Arthur Whitney drawing on the APL array-language tradition, not the reverse.

Influenced

Nial, Programming Languages

Nial infobox: "Influenced by: APL (programming language), Lisp (programming language)." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nial

Sources
1. Wikipedia: APL (programming language)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Infobox: First appeared
    November 27, 1966; 59 years ago (1966-11-27)
  • Infobox: Paradigm
    Array, functional, structured, modular
  • Article body, influence discussion
    It has been an important influence on the development of concept modeling, spreadsheets, functional programming, and computer math packages.
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.