# EXEL

> programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q3046265](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3046265)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/exel

## Summary
EXEL is a programming language created by French computer scientist and astronomer Jacques Arsac. It was published in 1973 and is classified as a language for communicating instructions to a machine. The language is notably associated with academic work on syntactic source-to-source transforms and program manipulation.

## Key Facts
*   **Instance of:** Programming language.
*   **Developer:** Jacques Arsac (French astronomer and computer scientist).
*   **Publication Date:** 1973.
*   **Primary Source:** Described in *Communications of the ACM*.
*   **Academic Context:** Associated with the paper "Syntactic source to source transforms and program manipulation."
*   **Creator's Lifespan:** Jacques Arsac (1929–2014).
*   **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/1224zkxf.
*   **Language Availability:** Documentation exists in French (Wikipedia languages: fr).

## FAQs
### Q: Who created the EXEL programming language?
A: EXEL was developed by Jacques Arsac, a prominent French astronomer and computer scientist who lived from 1929 to 2014.

### Q: When was EXEL published?
A: EXEL was published in 1973.

### Q: In what academic context is EXEL discussed?
A: EXEL is described in the *Communications of the ACM*, specifically within the context of "Syntactic source to source transforms and program manipulation."

### Q: What type of language is EXEL?
A: EXEL is classified as a programming language designed for communicating instructions to a machine.

## Why It Matters
EXEL holds a specific place in the history of computer science as a tool developed during the formative years of software engineering theory in the 1970s. Its primary significance lies in its association with Jacques Arsac, a pioneer in computer science who bridged the gap between astronomy and computational methods. Unlike general-purpose languages designed solely for broad commercial application, EXEL is tied to early theoretical work in program manipulation. The language serves as a historical marker for the evolution of syntactic transformation—the process of modifying source code from one form to another while preserving its meaning—a concept that underpins modern compilers and refactoring tools. Its inclusion in the *Communications of the ACM* highlights its relevance to the academic and scientific community during a period of rapid innovation in programming language design. EXEL exemplifies the era's focus on the structural and mathematical properties of code.

## Notable For
*   **Academic Foundation:** distinctively linked to theoretical computer science concepts regarding syntactic source-to-source transforms rather than mass-market adoption.
*   **Creator's Pedigree:** developed by Jacques Arsac, a notable figure who contributed to both astronomy and computer science.
*   **Era of Innovation:** represents the explosion of specialized programming languages in the early 1970s (specifically 1973).
*   **Documentation:** preserved in the prestigious *Communications of the ACM*, ensuring its recognition in scientific literature.

## Body
### Origins and Development
EXEL is a programming language established in 1973. It falls under the broad classification of languages used to communicate instructions to machines. The development of the language is credited to Jacques Arsac, a figure notable for his dual expertise in astronomy and computer science.

### Creator: Jacques Arsac
The language's developer, Jacques Arsac (born February 1, 1929; died 2014), was a French scientist with a diverse professional background. His occupations included computer scientist, astronomer, and physicist. His citizenship was French. Arsac's work on EXEL demonstrates his contribution to the field of software development and programming theory.

### Technical and Academic Context
The language is explicitly referenced in the *Communications of the ACM* (Association for Computing Machinery). The specific context of this reference is the paper or concept titled "Syntactic source to source transforms and program manipulation." This suggests that EXEL was utilized or designed to facilitate advanced program transformations, a complex area of study in computer science involving the manipulation of code structure without altering its functional behavior.

### Digital Footprint
EXEL possesses a distinct digital identity within knowledge bases. It is indexed within the Google Knowledge Graph with the ID `/g/1224zkxf`. Its digital presence is somewhat niche, indicated by a low sitelink count (1) and primary linguistic association with French (fr) Wikipedia resources.