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Any universal programming language?

I was wondering out of curiosity if there was a universal programming language, like a language you can learn and know the basics of all programming language. Or a programming language that you can learn to know how exactly how the computer compiles.

25th Jan 2019, 9:28 AM
Christiaan Strydom
Christiaan Strydom - avatar
2 Answers
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This thread elaborates on why you can't create one language for everything. https://www.sololearn.com/Discuss/263138/?ref=app As for Faisal Khan 's examples, those are "general purpose programming languages", which differ from the concept of a "universal" one. Your understanding of a "universal" language, however, is described as a language which allows the understanding of all languages and also the compilation process. For this to be achievable, the language has to be capable of being written in all different paradigms, and encompasses all different compilation processes. The former is possible, but the latter, not quite, since some languages are interpreted instead of compiled. I think the thread I linked is still relevant. The resulting universal language will be too large for anything practical other than for education purposes. In fact, the closest you can get to that description might end up being binary! A backbone language to everything computer-related. I can't program in that though.
25th Jan 2019, 9:41 AM
Hatsy Rei
Hatsy Rei - avatar
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There's no such thing as a universal programming language. What you have are universal, standardized programming instruction/structures' notations such as BNF or WFN. On the other hand the majority of high level compiled and interpreted languages share a set of common constructs such as constants, variables, logical, Boolean expressions, control structures, error handling procedures, data storage and manipulation devices (lists, matrices, dictionaries, etc.), Input/output, etc. So if you're interested in universality learn the constructs first and then see how they're implemented in a particular - more or less popular - programming languages. Some say that C is the mother of all tongues but for a beginner it's difficult to learn (unless you have the intellectual culture and discipline of a mathematician). For beginners to see how different constructs are implemented I recommend Python. Hope this helps.
25th Jan 2019, 9:50 AM
Skipper
Skipper - avatar