# Ratfor

> programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q4115288](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4115288)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratfor)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ratfor

## Summary
Ratfor (short for Rational Fortran) is a programming language developed by Brian Kernighan in 1976. It is structured as a dialect or extension influenced by the general-purpose programming language Fortran. The language is maintained with documentation available through Stanford University.

## Key Facts
- **Developer**: Brian Kernighan
- **Inception**: 1976
- **Aliases**: Rational Fortran
- **Instance of**: Programming language
- **Influenced by**: Fortran (a general-purpose programming language created in 1957)
- **Debian Package**: `ratfor` (stable package available)
- **Website**: Documentation hosted at `http://sepwww.stanford.edu/doku.php?id=sep:software:ratfor`
- **Wikidata ID**: Freebase ID `/m/022l8q`

## FAQs
### Q: What does the name Ratfor stand for?
A: Ratfor is an abbreviation for "Rational Fortran." It serves as a programming language influenced by Fortran.

### Q: Who created the Ratfor programming language?
A: Ratfor was developed by Brian Kernighan in 1976.

### Q: Is Ratfor still available for use?
A: Yes, Ratfor is available as a stable package within the Debian operating system, and documentation is hosted by Stanford University.

## Why It Matters
Ratfor holds a specific place in the history of computer science as a tool developed by Brian Kernighan, a prominent figure in the field of software development and co-author of seminal texts on programming. Created in 1976, it emerged as a solution to introduce more structured programming concepts to Fortran, a language that originated in 1957.

By providing a "rational" approach to Fortran, it allowed developers to utilize cleaner control structures while leveraging the existing capabilities of the Fortran ecosystem. Its continued availability as a Debian package and preservation on Stanford University servers indicates its enduring utility as a legacy tool or educational resource in the evolution of programming languages.

## Notable For
- **Authorship**: Developed by Brian Kernighan, a key figure in computer science history.
- **Nomenclature**: Explicitly named "Rational Fortran" to denote its design philosophy.
- **Legacy**: A programming language from the 1970s that remains accessible via modern software repositories like Debian.
- **Academic Hosting**: Officially documented and hosted by Stanford University (SEP).

## Body
### Origin and Development
Ratfor was conceived and developed in 1976 by Brian Kernighan. It is classified as an instance of a programming language designed to communicate instructions to a machine.

### Relationship to Fortran
The language is directly influenced by Fortran, a general-purpose programming language that was originally conceived in 1957. Ratfor functions as a layer or dialect intended to rationalize the syntax and structure of Fortran for programmers.

### Availability and Resources
While developed in the mid-1970s, Ratfor maintains a digital footprint in the modern era. It is distributed as a stable package within the Debian operating system under the name `ratfor`. Technical documentation and software resources are currently maintained by the Stanford Exploration Project (SEP) at Stanford University.

### Identifiers and Metadata
The entity is tracked across various knowledge bases. It holds the Freebase ID `/m/022l8q` and has a discontinued Microsoft Academic ID of 2779158952. The concept is documented across eight Wikipedia language editions, including English, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013