# High Performance Fortran

> extension of Fortran 90 with constructs that support parallel computing

**Wikidata**: [Q3091025](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3091025)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Performance_Fortran)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/high-performance-fortran

## Summary
High Performance Fortran (HPF) is an extension of Fortran 90 designed to support parallel computing. It introduced specialized constructs to facilitate distributed memory programming, making it easier to write efficient parallel applications. HPF was standardized in 1993 and aimed to simplify the development of high-performance scientific and engineering applications.

## Key Facts
- **Inception**: 1993
- **Dialect of**: Fortran 90
- **Programming paradigm**: Concurrent computing
- **Primary purpose**: Supporting parallel computing through Fortran extensions
- **Website**: [http://hpff.rice.edu/](http://hpff.rice.edu/)
- **Aliases**: HPF, 高性能Fortran
- **Wikipedia availability**: Available in 7 languages (bn, en, fr, ja, ru, uk, zh)
- **Instance of**: Programming language
- **Sitelink count**: 7

## FAQs
### Q: What is High Performance Fortran used for?
A: HPF is used to write parallel computing applications, particularly in scientific and engineering fields, by extending Fortran 90 with constructs that simplify distributed memory programming.

### Q: When was High Performance Fortran developed?
A: HPF was standardized in 1993 as an extension of Fortran 90 to support parallel computing.

### Q: How does High Performance Fortran differ from standard Fortran?
A: HPF introduces specialized constructs to facilitate parallel computing, making it easier to write high-performance applications compared to standard Fortran.

### Q: Is High Performance Fortran still in use today?
A: While HPF was influential, it has largely been replaced by more modern parallel programming models and languages, though its concepts influenced later developments.

### Q: Who developed High Performance Fortran?
A: HPF was developed as a collaborative effort by researchers and industry groups, with standardization led by the High Performance Fortran Forum.

## Why It Matters
High Performance Fortran (HPF) played a significant role in the evolution of parallel computing by providing a standardized way to extend Fortran 90 for distributed memory systems. Its constructs allowed developers to write parallel applications more efficiently, particularly in scientific and engineering domains. HPF was influential in the 1990s and early 2000s, helping to bridge the gap between sequential and parallel programming. However, as parallel computing evolved, HPF was eventually superseded by more flexible and modern approaches, such as MPI and OpenMP. Despite its limited contemporary use, HPF remains a historical milestone in the development of parallel programming languages.

## Notable For
- **First standardized extension of Fortran 90 for parallel computing**
- **Introduced high-level constructs for distributed memory programming**
- **Simplified the development of parallel scientific applications**
- **Influenced later parallel programming models and languages**
- **Standardized in 1993 by the High Performance Fortran Forum**

## Body
### Origins and Standardization
High Performance Fortran (HPF) was developed in the mid-1990s as an extension of Fortran 90 to address the growing need for parallel computing in scientific and engineering applications. The standardization process, led by the High Performance Fortran Forum, resulted in the official release of HPF in 1993.

### Key Features
HPF introduced several key features to support parallel computing, including:
- **Data distribution directives**: Allowing developers to specify how data should be distributed across processors.
- **Parallel loops**: Enabling the execution of loops in parallel.
- **Alignment and template constructs**: Facilitating the organization of data and computations in a parallel environment.

### Impact and Legacy
HPF was influential in the 1990s and early 2000s, providing a standardized approach to parallel programming. However, as parallel computing evolved, HPF was largely replaced by more modern and flexible models, such as MPI (Message Passing Interface) and OpenMP. Despite its limited contemporary use, HPF remains a significant historical development in the field of parallel programming languages.

### Availability and Documentation
The official website for HPF, [http://hpff.rice.edu/](http://hpff.rice.edu/), provides resources and documentation for developers interested in the language. HPF is also documented in various programming language resources and academic publications.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. BabelNet