# PL/I

> procedural, imperative computer programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q223433](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223433)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PL/I)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/pl-i

## Summary

PL/I was influenced by Fortran and ALGOL.

## Summary
PL/I is a procedural, imperative computer programming language developed by IBM in 1964. It was designed to combine features of scientific computing (like FORTRAN) and business data processing (like COBOL) into a single unified language.

## Key Facts
- Developed by IBM in 1964
- Classified as both a programming language and a procedural programming language
- Influenced by FORTRAN and ALGOL
- Features strong typing discipline
- Supports procedural programming, imperative programming, structured programming, and concurrent computing paradigms
- Has multiple aliases including PL I, PL/1, PL1, Programming Language One, and PLI
- Official website: https://www.ibm.com/products/pli-compiler-zos
- Derivative works include IBM PL/S, PL/M, SabreTalk, XPL, and PL/8

## FAQs
### Q: What is PL/I used for?
A: PL/I is used for computer programming, creating applications, analysis, discovery, and content analysis. It was designed to handle both scientific and business computing tasks.

### Q: Who created PL/I?
A: PL/I was developed and designed by IBM, the American multinational technology corporation founded in 1911.

### Q: What programming paradigms does PL/I support?
A: PL/I supports procedural programming, imperative programming, structured programming, and concurrent computing paradigms.

## Why It Matters
PL/I represents a significant milestone in programming language development as IBM's attempt to create a unified language that could serve both scientific and business computing needs. By combining features from FORTRAN (scientific computing) and COBOL (business data processing), PL/I aimed to eliminate the need for organizations to maintain expertise in multiple languages. Its strong typing discipline and support for multiple programming paradigms made it versatile for complex applications. Though not as widely adopted as its predecessors, PL/I influenced later language designs and demonstrated the feasibility of creating comprehensive, multi-paradigm programming languages.

## Notable For
- First major attempt to create a unified language for both scientific and business computing
- Strong typing discipline that helped prevent common programming errors
- Support for concurrent computing, making it ahead of its time for parallel processing capabilities
- Creation of multiple derivative languages including PL/M and IBM PL/S
- Designed to handle both floating-point calculations and character string manipulation efficiently

## Body
### Development and History
PL/I was developed by IBM in 1964 as part of their effort to create a comprehensive programming language. The language was designed to combine the best features of existing languages, particularly FORTRAN for scientific computing and COBOL for business applications.

### Technical Features
PL/I features strong typing discipline, which means variables must be declared with specific data types before use. This helps catch errors during compilation rather than at runtime. The language supports multiple programming paradigms including procedural, imperative, structured, and concurrent computing approaches.

### Language Characteristics
The language includes features for both floating-point arithmetic (useful for scientific calculations) and character string manipulation (essential for business data processing). PL/I also supports structured programming constructs like IF-THEN-ELSE statements and loops, making code more readable and maintainable.

### Influence and Derivatives
PL/I has influenced numerous other programming languages and systems. Its derivative works include IBM PL/S (Programming Language/System), PL/M (Programming Language for Microcomputers), SabreTalk, XPL, and PL/8. These derivatives adapted PL/I's concepts for specific applications and hardware platforms.

### Current Status
While PL/I is not as widely used today as it was during its peak, it remains available through IBM's PL/I compiler for z/OS systems. The language continues to be used in legacy systems and specialized applications where its unique combination of features is still valuable.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "PL/I",
  "description": "Procedural, imperative computer programming language developed by IBM in 1964",
  "url": "https://www.ibm.com/products/pli-compiler-zos",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q328",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PL/I"
  ],
  "additionalType": "ProgrammingLanguage"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/JohnMarkOckerbloom/ftl/blob/master/data/wikimap)
2. [Source](https://marketplace.sshopencloud.eu/tool-or-service/9AZIPP)
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. BabelNet
5. National Library of Israel