Fifth-generation programming language: Difference between revisions

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There{{Short is no Fifth Generationdescription|Category of programming languages.}}

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There is no Fifth Generation of programming languages.

A '''fifth-generation programming language''' ('''5GL''') is a [[high-level programming language|high-level]] [[programming language]] based on problem-solving using constraints given to the program, rather than using an [[algorithm]] written by a programmer.<ref>{{cite book |title=Network dictionary |date=2007 |publisher=Javvin Technologies, Inc |isbn=9781602670006 |editor1-last=Dong |editor1-first=Jielin |___location=Saratoga, Calif. |page=195}}</ref> Most [[constraint programming|constraint-based]] and [[logic programming]] languages and some other [[declarative language]]s are fifth-generation languages.

==History==

In the 1990s, fifth-generation languages were considered to be the wave of the future, and some predicted that they would replace all other languages for system development, with the exception of low-level languages.{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} Most notably, from 1982 to 1993 [[Japan]]<ref name="Ref1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.atariarchives.org/deli/fifth_generation.php|title=FIFTH-GENERATION COMPUTERS|accessdate=2008-03-05|author=Richard Grigonis}}</ref><ref name="Ref2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.cs.kuleuven.ac.be/~dtai/projects/ALP/|title=Association for Logic Programming (ALP)|accessdate=2008-03-05|author=ALP}}</ref> put much research and money into their [[fifth generation computer systems project]], hoping to design a massive computer network of machines using these tools.

While [[fourth-generation programming language]]s are designed to build specific programs, fifth-generation languages are designed to make the computer solve a given problem without the programmer. This way, the user only needs to worry about what problems need to be solved and what conditions need to be met, without worrying about how to implement a routine or algorithm to solve them. Fifth-generation languages are used mainly in [[artificial intelligence]] research. [[OPS5]] and [[Mercury (programming language)|Mercury]] are examples of fifth-generation languages,<ref name="bala">E. Balagurusamy, ''Fundamentals of Computers'', Mcgraw Hill Education (India), 2009, {{ISBN|978-0070141605}}, p. 340</ref> as is [[ICAD (software)|ICAD]], which was built upon [[Lisp (programming language)|Lisp]]. [[KL-ONE]] is an example of a related idea, a [[frame language]].

In the 1990s1980s, fifth-generation languages were considered to be the waveway of the future, and some predicted that they would replace allprocedural otherprogramming languageswith constraint based programming for systemall development,tasks withthat thecould exceptionbe framed as a series of low-levellogical languagesconstraints.<ref>{{Citationcite journal |last1=Kahanwal |first1=Brijender needed|date=July4 2009October 2013 |title=A taxonomy for programming languages with multisequential processes |journal=International Journal of Programming Languages and Applications |volume=3 |issue=4 |arxiv=1311.3293 |doi=10.5121/ijpla.2013.3401}}</ref> Most notably, from 1982 to 1993, [[Japan]]<ref name="Ref1">{{Cite web |author=Richard Grigonis |title=FIFTH-GENERATION COMPUTERS |url=http://www.atariarchives.org/deli/fifth_generation.php |title=FIFTHaccess-GENERATION COMPUTERS|accessdatedate=2008-03-05|author=Richard Grigonis}}</ref><ref name="Ref2">{{Cite web |urlauthor=http://www.cs.kuleuven.ac.be/~dtai/projects/ALP/ |title=Association for Logic Programming (ALP) |accessdateurl=http://www.logicprogramming.org/ |access-date=2008-03-05|author=ALP}}</ref> put much research and money into their [[fifthFifth generation computer|fifth-generation computer systems project]], hoping to design a massive computer network of machines using these tools.

However, as larger programs were built, the flaws of the approach became more apparent. It turns out that, starting from a set of constraints defining a particular problem, deriving an efficient algorithm to solve it is a very difficult problem in itself. This crucial step cannot yet be automated and still requires the insight of a human programmer.

However, as larger programs were built, the flaws of the approach became more apparent. It turns out that, starting fromgiven a set of constraints defining a particular problem, deriving an efficient algorithm to solve it is a very difficult problem in itself. This crucial step cannot yet be automated and still requires the insight of a human programmer.

Today, fifth-generation languages are back as a possible level of computer language. A number{{Who|date=August 2010}} of software vendors currently claim that their software meets the visual "programming" requirements of the 5GL concept.

==Common misconception==

FromVendors timehave tobeen timeknown vendorson inoccasion theto applicationadvertise developmenttheir spacelanguages have claimedas 5GL (5th generation language) capabilities.<ref>[http://www.it-analysis.com/channels/content.php?cid=9096 What makes a 5GL?]</ref> Most of the time they actually sell [[4GLFourth-generation programming language|4GLs]]s with a higher levelslevel of automation and [[knowledge base]]. Since the 5GL awareness has dropped becauseBecause the hype of the 80's quickly1980s faded away and that the projects were eventually all dropped, 5GL awareness has also dropped; this has opened doors to the vendors to re-usereuse the term in marketing their new tools, without causing much controversy among the current generations of programmers.<ref>{{cite Theirweb tools|last1=Howard actually|first1=Philip consist|date=17 ofJanuary [[4GL]]s2007 packed|title=What withmakes [[Rapida application5GL? development|RAD]]url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/17/5gl/ wizards, [[Computer|access-aideddate=28 softwareNovember 2019 engineering|CASE]]website=The tools and other graphical coding assistance that facilitates code generation.Register}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[DeclarativeConstraint programming]]

* [[ConstraintList of programming languages for artificial intelligence]]

* [[Programming paradigm]]

{{Programming language generations}}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

{{Programming language generations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fifth-Generation Programming Language}}

[[Category:Programming language classification]]

[[fr:L5G]]