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Fortran, an acronym for FORmula TRANslating system, is a general-purpose, compiled, imperative programming language designed primarily for numerical computation and scientific computing. Developed by IBM in the 1950s, it holds the distinction of being the first widely adopted high-level programming language.

Key characteristics and features of Fortran include:

Emphasis on Numerical Computation: Fortran was specifically created to handle complex mathematical calculations and is highly optimized for performance in numerical tasks, making it a preferred choice in fields like scientific research, engineering simulations, and high-performance computing.

Efficiency and Speed: Fortran compilers are known for generating highly optimized machine code, resulting in programs that execute with speeds comparable to languages like C++.

Strong Backward Compatibility: Fortran maintains strong backward compatibility, allowing older code to remain functional with minimal or no modifications, which is crucial for long-term projects in scientific computing.

Array Operations: The language offers powerful features for handling arrays, including whole-array operations and array slicing, simplifying the manipulation of large datasets.

Modules and Derived Types: Modern Fortran versions incorporate features like modules for encapsulating data and procedures, and derived types (similar to data structures) for creating custom data types.

Parallel Processing: Fortran supports parallel processing through features like Co-Arrays, enabling efficient execution on multi-core processors and distributed systems.

Evolution and Standards: Fortran has undergone several revisions and standardization efforts by organizations like the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), ensuring consistency and portability across different platforms. Recent standards include Fortran 90, 95, 2003, 2008, and 2018.

Applications: Fortran is still widely used in various domains, including numerical weather prediction, computational fluid dynamics, climate modeling, astrophysics, and other scientific and engineering applications requiring intensive numerical computation.kŠÏ‘\ÔU