Category:ALGOL 68

From Rosetta Code

ALGOL 68 (short for ALGOrithmic Language 1968) is an imperative computer programming language that was conceived as a successor to the ALGOL 60 programming language, designed with the goal of a much wider scope of application and more rigorously defined syntax and semantics.

The main aims and principles of design of ALGOL 68:

1. Completeness and clarity of design,
2. Orthogonal design,
3. Security,
4. Efficiency:
   • Static mode checking,
   • Mode-independent parsing,
   • Independent compilation,
   • Loop optimization,
   • Representations - in minimal & larger character sets.

[edit] Revisions

• Mar. 1968: Draft Report on the Algorithmic Language ALGOL 68 - Edited by: A. van Wijngaarden, B.J. Mailloux, J.E.L. Peck and C.H.A. Koster.
• Oct. 1968: Penultimate Draft Report on the Algorithmic Language ALGOL 68 - Chapters 1-9 - Edited by: A. van Wijngaarden, B.J. Mailloux, J.E.L. Peck and C.H.A. Koster.
• Dec. 1968: Report on the Algorithmic Language ALGOL 68 - Offprint from Numerische Mathematik, 14, 79-218 (1969); Springer-Verlag. - Edited by: A. van Wijngaarden, B.J. Mailloux, J.E.L. Peck and C.H.A. Koster.
• Sep 1973: Revised Report on the Algorithmic Language Algol 68 - Springer-Verlag 1976 - Edited by: A. van Wijngaarden, B.J. Mailloux, J.E.L. Peck, C.H.A. Koster, M. Sintzoff, C.H. Lindsey, L.G.L.T. Meertens and R.G. Fisker.

[edit] Code samples

Most of the code samples provided here have a leading main:( and a matching ) at the end. These are not actually required in the language, but are included so as to highlight that the code sample is complete, and works with (at least) ALGOL 68G unmodified.

Example:

main:(
  print(("Hello, world!",new line))
)

On some compilers, it may be necessary to include appropriate "job cards" or precludes in order for the programs to compile successfully. Hopefully not too much else is required.