FORTRAN (short for Formula Translation) is one of the oldest and most influential high-level programming languages. It was developed by IBM in the 1950s for scientific and engineering calculations. Here are key features and aspects of FORTRAN:

1. History:
   • FORTRAN was first developed by IBM in the mid-1950s, led by John Backus and a team of IBM programmers.
   • The first version, FORTRAN I, was released in 1957.
2. Scientific and Engineering Focus:
   • FORTRAN was designed to address the needs of scientific and engineering communities, providing a high-level language for numerical and scientific computations.
3. Numeric Processing:
   • FORTRAN excels in numeric processing and is well-suited for mathematical and scientific calculations.
   • It supports floating-point arithmetic and includes mathematical functions.
4. Compile-Time Execution:
   • Early versions of FORTRAN had limited support for conditional statements. Some computations were performed at compile time rather than runtime.
5. Column-Based Formatting:
   • FORTRAN I and FORTRAN II used a column-based formatting system where specific columns had special meanings. This feature made it easy to write and punch code onto cards for early computers.
6. FORTRAN 77:
   • FORTRAN underwent several revisions, with FORTRAN 77 being a widely used version introduced in 1977.
   • FORTRAN 77 added features like structured programming constructs, including IF-THEN-ELSE statements and DO loops.
7. Standardization:
   • FORTRAN has been standardized by various organizations, including ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization).
   • The most recent standard is Fortran 2018.
8. Subsequent Versions:
   • Subsequent versions of FORTRAN, including Fortran 90, Fortran 95, Fortran 2003, Fortran 2008, and Fortran 2018, introduced modern features such as array operations, modules, and object-oriented programming.
9. Array Support:
   • FORTRAN has native support for arrays and provides efficient array operations, making it well-suited for tasks involving large datasets.
10. Parallel Processing:
    • Modern versions of FORTRAN provide features for parallel processing and support for high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
11. Legacy Code:
    • Despite the development of newer programming languages, FORTRAN remains in use today, particularly in legacy systems and scientific computing applications.
12. Influence on Other Languages:
    • FORTRAN has had a significant influence on the design of subsequent programming languages, especially in the domain of numerical and scientific computing.

FORTRAN’s longevity and continued use in specific domains attest to its significance in the history of programming languages. While other languages have gained prominence, FORTRAN remains a valuable tool in scientific and engineering communities.