Modula-2 Programming Language

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

History

In the mid 1970's, after the language Pascal was designed, Niklaus Wirth was experimenting with concurrency which led to the design of Modula. Modula was never released and its development was discontinued after its publication. Wirth then built a language that was meant to be the single language for the new computer system called Lilith. Even though the computer was never a success, his new language Modula-2 was released in 1980.

Significant Language Features

Modula-2 was designed based on Pascal and Modula but its improvements over Pascal included modules, low level features, coroutines, and syntactic features.

Modules - a tool for expressing the relations between major parts of programs and provide support for abstract data types.
Low Level Features - small language which can be implemented on a wide variety of microcomputers. contains facilities for high level and low level programming.
Coroutines - used for embedded systems that require concurrency without the overhead of large operating systems or large languages.
Syntactic Features - has a small vocabulary and consists of few sentence structures. contains simple and consistant rules of syntax which makes it easy to learn.

Areas of Application

Modula-2 is a simple but yet a powerful language that is suitable for a wide range of applications.

Systems Programming
Concurrent Programming
Embedded Systems
Software Engineering
Education

Modula-2 Programs

Related Links

CIS400 Programming Languages
This is a course description of a programming language course taught here at the University of Michigan - Dearborn.
Modula-2 Site
This link gives answers to frequently asked questions about Modula-2.
Modula-2 Packages
This site offers Modula-2 Packages.
Modula-2 Compiler
These are locations where you can find a Modula-2 compiler.

Printed References

Christian, Kaare (1986). A Guide To Modula-2. Springer-Verlag, New York.
McKay, Kenneth and Moore, John (1987). Modula-2 Text and Reference. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey.
Sebesta, Robert (1996). Concepts of Programming Languages . Addison-Wesley Publishing, CA.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Kaare Christian, author of A Guide to Modula-2, for helping write the sum and average and factorial program. I would also like to thank John Moore and Kenneth McKay, authors of Modula-2 Text and Reference, for helping write the hello world and sum and average program. Robert Sebesta, author of Concepts of Programming Languages was also helpful in providing information on the history of Modula-2.

[Home]

[Next]

Last modified: 01:17 PM on 11/24/1996

This page has been accessed