# FLOW-MATIC

> programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q1389173](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1389173)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLOW-MATIC)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/flow-matic

## Summary
FLOW-MATIC is a procedural programming language designed by Grace Hopper in 1955 for the UNIVAC I computer system. Originally known as B-0 or Business Language version 0, it is a foundational imperative programming language developed at Remington Rand.

## Key Facts
- **Designer:** Grace Hopper, an American computer scientist and United States Navy officer.
- **Inception Date:** 1955.
- **Primary Platform:** UNIVAC I.
- **Organization of Origin:** Remington Rand.
- **Programming Paradigms:** Imperative programming and procedural programming.
- **Alternative Names:** B-0, Business Language version 0, and FLOW MATIC.
- **Classification:** Programming language / Procedural programming language.

## FAQs
### Q: Who designed the FLOW-MATIC programming language?
A: FLOW-MATIC was designed by Grace Hopper, a pioneering American computer scientist, mathematician, and United States Navy officer, while she was at Remington Rand.

### Q: What was the original name of FLOW-MATIC?
A: The language was originally designated as B-0, which stood for Business Language version 0.

### Q: On what computer system did FLOW-MATIC run?
A: FLOW-MATIC was developed specifically for the UNIVAC I platform.

### Q: When was FLOW-MATIC first introduced?
A: The language had its inception in 1955.

## Why It Matters
FLOW-MATIC is a significant entity in the history of computer science as one of the earliest procedural programming languages. Developed by Grace Hopper at Remington Rand, it represented a shift toward imperative programming paradigms during the mid-1950s. Its alternative name, "Business Language version 0," highlights its role in the early effort to create languages suitable for business data processing rather than purely mathematical applications. By operating on the UNIVAC I, it helped define the capabilities of early commercial computing and established foundational concepts for how instructions are communicated to machines.

## Notable For
- **Early Procedural Language:** Recognized as one of the first languages to implement the procedural programming class.
- **Grace Hopper’s Leadership:** Developed under the direction of Grace Hopper, one of the most influential figures in the history of computer science.
- **Business Orientation:** Specifically designated as "Business Language version 0" (B-0), marking a departure from purely scientific computing.
- **UNIVAC I Integration:** Serving as a primary programming tool for the UNIVAC I, one of the earliest mainstream computer platforms.

## Body

### Development and Inception
FLOW-MATIC was conceived in 1955 at Remington Rand. The development was led by Grace Hopper (1906–1992), a mathematician and United States Navy officer. The language is formally classified as both a programming language and a procedural programming language.

### Technical Classification
The language follows two primary programming paradigms:
*   **Imperative programming:** A paradigm that uses statements that change a program's state.
*   **Procedural programming:** A type of imperative programming based on the concept of the procedure call.

### Nomenclature and Identification
The language is known by several aliases and identifiers in academic and technical records:
*   **Primary Alias:** B-0 (Business Language version 0).
*   **Alternative Spellings:** FLOW MATIC, Flow-Matic.
*   **Freebase ID:** /m/0l6nk.
*   **Encyclopædia Britannica ID:** topic/Flow-matic.

### Platform and Distribution
FLOW-MATIC was designed specifically for the UNIVAC I platform. Its historical documentation is maintained across various international contexts, with Wikipedia entries existing in at least 10 languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, and Japanese.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013