Fourth Generation Language (4GL)
What : Fourth Generation Language is a computer programming language also known as a refined version of Third Generation Language (3GL). Every generation of language tries to help programmers feel comfortable while coding and have vast information about internal parts of computer making it user-friendly. 4GL tries to focus on large member of data unlike on bits or bytes. It supports database management, report generation, mathematical optimization, GUI development or web development. Some experts classify it as a subset of domain specific language.
When : 4GL was first used formally by James Martin in his book Applications Development Without Programmers which was published in 1982 to refer to non-procedural language. In some way early 4GLs were used in MARK-IV and MAPPER. In a sense 4GL is an example of "black box" processing, each geberation is further from the machine. Being far from machine implies being closer to the domain. Given the wide disparity of concepts and methods across domains, 4GL limitations has lead to recognition of the need for 5GL.
How : The early input scheme for the 4GL supported entry of data within 72 characters limit of the punched card where a tag would identify the type of functions. With extreme use of 4GL cards, it could offer a wide variety of processing and reporting capability whereas the equivalent functionality coded in a 3GL could subsume, perhaps or more box of cards.
Types : 1. Table-driven programming >> Instead of coding programmer choses operation in pre defined list of memory or data table manipulation commands.
2. Report Generator programming >> It takes description of data and report to generate and from that they either generate the report directly or by allowing programmer to change it.
Examples : Accelerator, Clarion, Data-flex, Foxprom, Genero, IBM R-EGL, LINC, Omnis Studio, Flower Builder, Python, Ruby, XBASE++, etc.
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When : 4GL was first used formally by James Martin in his book Applications Development Without Programmers which was published in 1982 to refer to non-procedural language. In some way early 4GLs were used in MARK-IV and MAPPER. In a sense 4GL is an example of "black box" processing, each geberation is further from the machine. Being far from machine implies being closer to the domain. Given the wide disparity of concepts and methods across domains, 4GL limitations has lead to recognition of the need for 5GL.
How : The early input scheme for the 4GL supported entry of data within 72 characters limit of the punched card where a tag would identify the type of functions. With extreme use of 4GL cards, it could offer a wide variety of processing and reporting capability whereas the equivalent functionality coded in a 3GL could subsume, perhaps or more box of cards.
Types : 1. Table-driven programming >> Instead of coding programmer choses operation in pre defined list of memory or data table manipulation commands.
2. Report Generator programming >> It takes description of data and report to generate and from that they either generate the report directly or by allowing programmer to change it.
Examples : Accelerator, Clarion, Data-flex, Foxprom, Genero, IBM R-EGL, LINC, Omnis Studio, Flower Builder, Python, Ruby, XBASE++, etc.
((((((((((((((((((((((((Summarized through - Wikipedia)))))))))))))))))))))))))))
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