# M

> programming language developed by Microsoft

**Wikidata**: [Q1537488](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1537488)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/m-q1537488

## Summary
M is a programming language developed by Microsoft, established in 2008. It is classified as a programming language designed for communicating instructions to a machine and is notably influenced by ML, a functional programming language.

## Key Facts
- **Developer:** Microsoft
- **Inception:** 2008
- **Instance of:** Programming language
- **Influenced by:** ML (a functional programming language)
- **Freebase ID:** /m/04n7j8q
- **Wikipedia Presence:** Available in German (de) and French (fr) languages
- **Sitelink Count:** 2

## FAQs
### Q: When was the M programming language created?
A: The M programming language was developed by Microsoft and has an inception date of 2008.

### Q: What languages or concepts influenced the development of M?
A: M was influenced by ML, which is a functional programming language originally developed in 1973.

### Q: What type of programming language is M?
A: M is an instance of a programming language, defined as a language for communicating instructions to a machine.

## Why It Matters
The M programming language represents a specific evolution in Microsoft's approach to software development tools. While "M" is a common letter used for various technologies, this specific entity is distinct for its 2008 inception and its specific heritage linked to the ML family of languages. ML (Meta Language) is a cornerstone in the history of functional programming, known for its polymorphic type inference and strict typing. By being influenced by ML, M carries forward principles of functional programming into a environment developed by a major commercial software corporation.

The creation of M in 2008 places it within a period of significant diversification in programming paradigms, moving beyond strictly object-oriented approaches popularized in the 1990s. Its existence highlights the industry-wide trend during that era toward incorporating functional concepts into mainstream development. The language serves as an example of how foundational academic languages (like ML from 1973) continue to shape commercial tools decades later.

## Notable For
- **Microsoft Lineage:** It is a programming language directly developed by Microsoft.
- **Functional Heritage:** It is distinguished by its influence from ML, connecting it to the functional programming paradigm established in the 1970s.
- **Specific Timeline:** It has a verified inception date of 2008, distinguishing it from other languages that might share the "M" designation.
- **International Documentation:** The language maintains a digital presence in multiple languages, specifically German and French Wikipedia entries.

## Body
### Origin and Development
The programming language M is a proprietary development tool created by Microsoft. According to structured data records, the language was inceptioned in **2008**. Its development is rooted in the broader history of computer science, drawing specific inspiration from existing paradigms rather than existing in isolation.

### Technical Classification and Influences
M is strictly classified as an **instance of a programming language**, defined generally as a language for communicating instructions to a machine.

A defining characteristic of M is its technical lineage. It is explicitly listed as being **influenced by ML**.
*   **ML Context:** ML (Meta Language) is a functional programming language with an inception date of 1973. It is historically significant for its role in the Logic of Computable Functions (LCF) theorem prover project.
*   **Paradigm:** By being influenced by ML, M is associated with the functional programming paradigm, which treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoids changing-state and mutable data.

### Identifiers and Digital Footprint
In the context of knowledge management and semantic web data, M is identified by specific keys:
*   **Freebase ID:** /m/04n7j8q
*   **Wikidata Description:** "programming language developed by Microsoft"

The language has a limited but specific footprint on the wider web, evidenced by a **sitelink count of 2**. These links correspond to Wikipedia entries in **German (de)** and **French (fr)**, indicating a recognition of the language within those linguistic technical communities.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013