Modelling the Evolution of Programming Languages

TL;DR

This paper explores how biological evolutionary concepts can be applied to understand the development and diversification of programming languages, revealing complex patterns and offering new analytical tools.

Contribution

It demonstrates the applicability of Darwinian evolutionary mechanisms to programming languages and identifies rich evolutionary patterns in their history.

Findings

Evolutionary building blocks are present in programming languages.

Rich patterns like co-evolution and niche construction are observed.

Critical issues in applying biological models to programming languages are discussed.

Abstract

Programming languages are engineered languages that allow to instruct a machine and share algorithmic information; they have a great influence on the society since they underlie almost every information technology artefact, and they are at the core of the current explosion of software technology. The history of programming languages is marked by innovations, diversifications, lateral transfers and social influences; moreover, it represents an intermediate case study between the evolution of human languages and the evolution of technology. In this paper we study the application of the Darwinian explanation to the programming languages evolution by discussing to what extent the evolutionary mechanisms distinctive of biology can be applied to this area. We show that a number of evolutionary building blocks can be recognised in the realm of computer languages, but we also identify critical issues. Far from being crystal clear, this fine-grained study shows to be a useful tool to assess recent results about programming languages phylogenies. Finally, we show that rich evolutionary patterns, such as co-evolution, macro-evolutionary trends, niche construction and exaptation, can be effectively applied to programming languages and provide for interesting explanatory tools.