Forth

This is the genealogy of the programming language Forth:

Forth was first known as Forth in year 1970.
Then it begat JaM in year 1978.
It became Forth 79 in year 1979.
It became Forth 83 in year 1983.
Then it begat Neon in year 1984.
It became OO Forth in year 1987, and has not changed much since that time.

This genealogy is brought to you by the Programming Languages Genealogy Project. Please send comments to thbz.

Forth is a programming language that was created in 1970 by Charles Moore. One of the things that make it interesting is that Forth combines the functions of operating system and programming language. It is a stack-based language: most, if not all, commands manipulate the stacks in some way. Forth uses two stacks: a data stack and a return stack. It is also possible to temporarily store data on the return stack.

Because it is stack based, Forth's commands are postfix (Reverse Polish Notation). For example,

(a + b) / c

a b + c /

It might seem that a language that consists of such primitive functions would be difficult to work with. On the contrary, development time in Forth is very fast and relatively bug-free, as compared with other languages. The reason being, that it is easy to declare "words" in Forth that encapsulate functionality. To put it another way, Forth programmers create a new language each time they write a program. (Scheme and Lisp enthusiasts should recognize this rationale.)

Forth is still very much alive and is found, for example, on every Sun microcomputer in the Open Boot PROM.

Forth (?), v.[AS. for&edh;, fr. for akin to D. voort, G. fort &root;78. See Fore, For, and cf. Afford, Further, adv.]

1.

Forward; onward in time, place, or order; in advance from a given point; on to end; as, from that day forth; one, two, three, and so forth.

Lucas was Paul's companion, at the leastway from the sixteenth of the Acts forth. Tyndale.

From this time forth, I never will speak word. Shak.

I repeated the Ave Maria; the inquisitor bad me say forth; I said I was taught no more. Strype.

2.

Out, as from a state of concealment, retirement, confinement, nondevelopment, or the like; out into notice or view; as, the plants in spring put forth leaves.

When winter past, and summer scarce begun, Invites them forth to labor in the sun. Dryden.

3.

Beyond a (certain) boundary; away; abroad; out.

I have no mind of feasting forth to-night. Shak.

4.

Throughly; from beginning to end.

Shak.

And so forth, Back and forth, From forth. See under And, Back, and From. -- Forth of, Forth from, out of [Obs.] Shak. -- To bring forth. See under Bring.

© Webster 1913.

Forth, prep.

Forth from; out of.

Some forth their cabins peep. Donne.

© Webster 1913.

Forth, n. [OE., a ford. 78. See Frith.]

A way; a passage or ford.

Todd.

© Webster 1913.