Fourth generation language
<language> (4GL, or "report generator language") An "application specific" language, one with built-in knowledge of an application domain, in the way that SQL has built-in knowledge of the realtional database domain.
The term was invented by Jim Martin to refer to non-procedural {high level languages} built around database systems.
Fourth generation languages are close to natural language and were built with the concept that certain applications could be generalised by adding limited programming ability to them.
When given a description of the data format and the report to generate, a 4GL system produces COBOL (or other 3GL) code, that actually reads and processes the data and formats the results.
Some examples of 4GL are: database query language e.g.SQL; Focus, Metafont, PostScript, S, IDL-PV, WAVE, Gauss, Mathematica, and data-stream languages such as AVS, APE, Iris Explorer
| < Previous Terms | Terms Containing fourth generation language | Next Terms > |
| four-colour glossies four colour map theorem four colour theorem Fourier transform fourth generation computer | 4GL database fourth generation language Screenwrite SQR | fourth normal form Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling FoxBASE+ FoxPRO Fox Software |
