View source for Modula

{{Short description|Programming language}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{primary sources|date=July 2016}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2013}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox programming language
| name = Modula
| paradigms = [[Imperative programming|Imperative]], [[Structured programming|structured]], [[Modular programming|modular]]
| family = [[Niklaus Wirth|Wirth]] Modula
| designer = [[Niklaus Wirth]]
| developer = Niklaus Wirth
| released = {{Start date and age|1975}}
| typing = [[Static typing|Static]], [[Strong and weak typing|strong]], [[Type system#Type safety and memory safety|safe]]
| scope = [[Scope (computer science)|Lexical]]
| discontinued = Yes
| platform = [[PDP-11]], [[LSI-11]]
| operating system = <!-- PDP-11s ran some 3 dozen OSes. -->
| website = <!-- A commemorative site may be made. -->
| dialects = <!-- None: discontinued. -->
| influenced by = [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]]
| influenced = [[Alma-0]], [[Go (programming language)|Go]], [[Modula-2]]
}}
The '''Modula''' [[programming language]] is a descendant of the [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]] language. It was developed in [[Switzerland]], at [[ETH Zurich]], in the mid-1970s by [[Niklaus Wirth]], the same person who designed Pascal. The main innovation of Modula over Pascal is a [[Modular programming|module system]], used for grouping sets of related declarations into program units; hence the name ''Modula''. The language is defined in a report by Wirth called ''Modula. A language for modular multiprogramming'' published 1976.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Wirth |first=Niklaus |date=1 January 1976 |title=Modula: a language for modular multiprogramming |url=https://www.research-collection.ethz.ch/handle/20.500.11850/68669 |website=[[ETH Library]] |publisher=[[ETH Zurich]] |doi=10.3929/ethz-a-000199440}}</ref>

Modula was first implemented by Wirth on a [[PDP-11]]. Very soon, other implementations followed, most importantly, the [[compiler]]s developed for [[University of York]] Modula, and one at [[Philips]] Laboratories named PL Modula, which generated code for the [[LSI-11]] [[microprocessor]].

The development of Modula was discontinued soon after its publication. Wirth then concentrated his efforts on Modula's successor, [[Modula-2]].

== See also ==
* [[Modula-2]]
* [[Modula-2+]]
* [[Modula-3]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Modula, Oberon}}
{{Wirth}}

[[Category:Procedural programming languages]]
[[Category:Modula programming language family]]
[[Category:Programming languages created in 1975]]


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