The Forth Programming Language

Click below to go directly to a specific section:
History | Significant Language Features | Areas of Application | Sample Programs
Related Links | Printed References | Acknowledgments

History

Forth was created in 1970 by Charles H. Moore. He wanted to create a language that would allow more direct user and machine interaction. Therefore he created Forth. He designed the language on an IBM 1130, which he considered a third generation machine. But he considered his language a fourth generation language. Because of this he decided to name the language "Fourth," but unfortunately the IBM 1130 only allowed five character file names so it got shortened to "Forth."

Significant Language Features

Forth created an interface between humans and machines. Many larger machines had several languages to communicate between user and machine, such as an application, a complier, a supervisor, and an assembler. The program would be converted through these languages so it could communicate with the machine. But this took time to do, so Forth is more of a direct link between the user and the machine.

Not an interpreted language, it is compiled. This increases speed.
Very easy to learn, program, and debug like BASIC.
Not as complex as Assembly, yet just as fast and powerful.
Compiles into a series of subroutine calls.
Saves processing time by having user put mathematical equations into postfix notation, so it doesn't have to transform it.
Makes user handle stack management. This allows less processing, and helps user become more knowledgeable about the internals of a machine.
Stack-based. Everything is done using stacks.

Areas of Application

Forth was originally designed to automate astronomy telescopes. It is also used to control appliances.

Sample Programs

Related Links

Forth Programming Language.
This site contains compilers and other files.
Forth Interest Group(FIG) Page This page is very dedicated to Forth, and contains links to other Forth pages as well. (Need a membership to get further into the site)
USENET FAQs - comp.lang.forth This site contains links to FAQs, that have more links and book references for Forth.

Printed References

Brodie, Leo / Forth, INC.(1987). Starting FORTH, Second Edition. Prentice-Hall
Oakey, Steve(1984). FORTH for Micros. Butterworth & Co.
Sebesta, Robert(1996). Concepts of Programming Languages, Third Edition. Addison Wesley Press.

Acknowledgments

The first two books above, provide a great deal of information on Forth. The book titled Starting FORTH is a very easy to understand and straight forward. Also some free compilers may contain text files that talk about Forth and it's history. There is also another hello world demo at Hello World Page!

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Last modified: 11/13/99

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