Basic Combined Programming Language

What Does Basic Combined Programming Language Mean?

Basic Combined Programming Language (BCPL) is a computer
language created by Martin Richards at the University of Cambridge in 1966. The
language was built on its predecessor the Combined Programming Language,
developed earlier in the 1960s.

Advertisements

Techopedia Explains Basic Combined Programming Language

Basic Combined Programming Language was built for small compiling size, down to 16 kB, and portability. One data type serves as an integer, character, floating-point number or other variable.

One of the main points of notoriety about the Basic Combined Programming Language is that it is alleged to be the first language in which the famous “hello world” program was written, by Brian Kernighan in the 1970s.

Eventually, the C suite of languages arose from earlier and more primitive languages like Basic Combined Programming Language. BCPL still stands as a program with simple syntax and straightforward design, to show some of the ways that modern languages evolved in terms of syntax and use.

Advertisements

Related Terms

Latest Programming Languages Terms

Related Reading

Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…