Evaluation of modern programming languages for use at LLNL

The New Application Language Team, consisting of application programmers and compiler/library writers, was established to select a programming language that would improve the maintainability of large application codes and the productivity of programmers working on such codes. We developed a set of requirements and analyzed several existing languages with respect to these requirements - that is, LRLTRAN, the proposed Fortran 8X, C, Modula-2, Mesa, Ada, and Model. We selected Ada as the closet fit to the requirements and are continuing to investigate using Ada in application codes. 11 refs.