# WEB

> programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q1141484](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1141484)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_(programming_system))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/web

## Summary  
WEB is a programming language and documentation system created by Donald Knuth to support literate programming, which emphasizes writing programs in a natural language style alongside code. It combines source code and documentation into a single, human-readable format and is the predecessor to the CWEB system. WEB is designed to produce high-quality documentation while maintaining executable code.  

## Key Facts  
- **Creator**: Donald Knuth, an American computer scientist and mathematician.  
- **Purpose**: Implements the concept of *literate programming*, where code is written to be read by humans.  
- **Aliases**: Web, Cweb.  
- **File Extensions**: `.web` (source files), `.ch` (change files).  
- **Successor**: CWEB, an adaptation for the C programming language.  
- **Classifications**: Programming language, programming tool, documentation generator.  
- **CTAN Package ID**: `web`.  
- **Wikipedia Title**: *Web (programming system)*.  

## FAQs  
### Q: Who created the WEB programming system?  
A: WEB was created by Donald Knuth, a renowned computer scientist and mathematician.  

### Q: What is WEB primarily used for?  
A: WEB is used for literate programming, enabling developers to write code intertwined with explanatory documentation in a natural language style.  

### Q: How does WEB relate to CWEB?  
A: CWEB is a successor to WEB, adapted for use with the C programming language while retaining the core principles of literate programming.  

## Why It Matters  
WEB revolutionized the approach to programming by prioritizing the clarity and readability of code through its integration with documentation. Developed by Donald Knuth, it addressed the challenge of maintaining complex programs by treating code as a narrative rather than a sequence of instructions. This methodology has influenced software development practices, emphasizing collaboration and long-term maintainability. WEB also laid the groundwork for tools like CWEB and inspired modern documentation generators, ensuring its legacy in both programming and academic contexts. Its impact extends beyond coding, promoting a culture of thorough documentation and clear communication in software engineering.  

## Notable For  
- First system to implement literate programming, a paradigm shift in software development.  
- Directly associated with Donald Knuth, a pioneer in computer science and author of *The Art of Computer Programming*.  
- Unique integration of source code and human-readable documentation in a single source file.  
- Served as the foundation for CWEB and other literate programming tools.  

## Body  
### Overview  
WEB is a programming system designed to apply the principles of literate programming, which Knuth introduced in 1984. It allows programmers to write code in a narrative structure, interleaving explanations with code snippets. The system compiles the source file (`.web`) into both executable code (e.g., Pascal) and formatted documentation (e.g., TeX).  

### Creation and Development  
- **Creator**: Donald Knuth developed WEB in the early 1980s as part of his work on *The Art of Computer Programming*.  
- **Motivation**: Knuth sought to create a system that would make the *TeX* typesetting software’s code more understandable and maintainable.  

### Technical Features  
- **Structure**: WEB programs are written in a `.web` file, which contains a mix of code and documentation.  
- **Tangling**: The process of extracting executable code from a `.web` source.  
- **Weaving**: The process of generating formatted documentation (e.g., PDF via TeX) from the same source.  
- **Extensions**:  
  - `.web`: Primary source files.  
  - `.ch`: Change files for versioning modifications.  

### Legacy and Influence  
- **CWEB**: Developed as a C-specific adaptation of WEB, maintaining the literate programming paradigm.  
- **Academic Impact**: WEB has been used in academic and technical contexts to document complex algorithms and software systems.  
- **Cultural Significance**: It reflects Knuth’s emphasis on programming as a literary endeavor, influencing coding practices and documentation standards.  

### Specifications  
- **File Format**: Recognized by the Library of Congress (`sh85145873`) and the National Library of Israel (`987007553648705171`).  
- **Cross-Platform**: WEB tools are available on multiple operating systems, distributed via CTAN (Comprehensive TeX Archive Network).

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/JohnMarkOckerbloom/ftl/blob/master/data/wikimap)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File