Early Software and Programmers

The Fascinating Origins of Software

Did you know that the first computer programs were written before computers even existed? In the early days, programming wasn’t done with keyboards or screens — it involved punch cards, cables, and switches. The term "software" didn’t even exist until the 1950s!

The first programmers were often mathematicians and engineers, and many of them were women. They created the foundation for modern software development by designing algorithms and figuring out how to make machines follow instructions.

From Ada Lovelace’s visionary work in the 1800s to the groundbreaking ENIAC programmers in the 1940s, the early history of software is filled with surprising and inspiring stories. Let’s explore how it all began!

Ada Lovelace and the First Algorithm

Ada Lovelace worked with Charles Babbage on his Analytical Engine, designing the first algorithm intended for a machine. Although the machine was never built in her time, her work laid the foundation for programming.

1843 - Ada Lovelace 

Ada Lovelace is often considered the first programmer. She wrote an algorithm for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, a mechanical computer that was never completed. Her notes described how the machine could follow instructions to calculate numbers — the foundation of modern programming.

Alan Turing and the Turing Machine

Alan Turing published a paper on the Turing Machine, a theoretical model that became the basis for modern computing. His work on cryptography during World War II helped break the Enigma code, significantly contributing to software development.

1936 - Alan Turing 

Alan Turing introduced the concept of the Turing Machine, a theoretical device that could perform any calculation if given the right algorithm. His work laid the foundation for modern computers and programming logic. During World War II, Turing helped crack the German Enigma code, saving millions of lives.

1937 – Konrad Zuse and the First Programmable Computer

Konrad Zuse, a German engineer, built the Z3 (completed in 1941), the first programmable, fully automatic digital computer. He also designed Plankalkül, one of the earliest programming languages.

The ENIAC Programmers 

These six women programmed the ENIAC, one of the first general-purpose computers. Their work in the 1940s marked the beginning of professional software development, despite not receiving much recognition at the time.

ENIAC (1945)

The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was the first general-purpose electronic computer. It was programmed manually using cables and switches. The first programmers of ENIAC were a group of six women.

These women were pioneers in programming, even though their contributions were overlooked for decades.

1942 - Kay McNulty 

Kay McNulty was one of the first programmers to work directly with the ENIAC. With a strong background in mathematics, she helped develop complex ballistic calculation routines during World War II. After the ENIAC project, she continued working in programming and married John Mauchly, one of the ENIAC's creators.

1945 - Betty Jennings 

Betty Jennings played a key role in translating complex mathematical problems into instructions for the ENIAC. She helped create the first general-purpose software program. Later, she contributed to the development of UNIVAC (1951), the first commercial computer.

1945 -  Betty Snyder 

Betty Snyder developed programming techniques for the ENIAC and later helped create the programming system for the UNIVAC. She pioneered the use of subroutines and programming methods that are still used in modern languages.

1945 - Marlyn Wescoff 

Marlyn Wescoff was one of the original ENIAC programmers. After her work on the ENIAC, she stepped away from technology to focus on her family. However, her early contributions proved that women could lead complex programming projects.

1945 - Ruth Lichterman 

Ruth Lichterman contributed to simplifying complex calculations for the military using the ENIAC. After the war, she continued her career in computing, helping to develop more efficient programming techniques.

1945 - Fran Bilas 

Fran Bilas worked directly with the ENIAC's circuitry and internal logic. She played a key role in optimizing the programming process and identifying errors, influencing how programmers handled hardware in future projects.

These six women were pioneers in programming, laying the groundwork for modern software development. Their contributions to computing were overlooked for decades, but their work with the ENIAC demonstrated that programming is as much about problem-solving and creativity as it is about mathematics and engineering. 

1950 - Grace Hopper 

Grace Hopper developed the first compiler, which translates human-readable code into machine code. She also contributed to the development of COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language), one of the first high-level programming languages still in use today.

1957 – John Backus and FORTRAN

John Backus led the IBM team that created FORTRAN (Formula Translation), the first widely used high-level programming language. FORTRAN simplified coding for scientific and engineering calculations, making programming more accessible.

1960 – John McCarthy and Lisp

John McCarthy created Lisp (List Processing), one of the first programming languages designed for artificial intelligence research. Lisp introduced powerful concepts like recursion and garbage collection, influencing modern languages like Python and JavaScript.

1969 – Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie and UNIX

Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie developed the UNIX operating system at Bell Labs. UNIX introduced concepts like file systems, multitasking, and user permissions, which became the foundation for modern operating systems like Linux and macOS.

1972 – Dennis Ritchie and the C Language

Dennis Ritchie created C, a programming language that combined power and simplicity. C allowed for direct manipulation of hardware while providing a structured programming model. Most modern operating systems and many languages (like C++, Python, and Java) are based on C.

1972 – Alan Kay and Object-Oriented Programming

Alan Kay helped develop Smalltalk, one of the first object-oriented programming (OOP) languages. OOP introduced the concept of classes and objects, which became fundamental in languages like Java, C++, and Python.

1985 – Bill Gates and Microsoft Windows

Bill Gates and Microsoft launched Windows, making graphical user interfaces (GUIs) accessible to everyday users. Windows became the dominant desktop operating system, shaping personal and business computing.

1991 – Linus Torvalds and Linux

Linus Torvalds created Linux, a free and open-source operating system. Linux became a key platform for servers, supercomputers, and mobile devices (through Android). Its open-source model encouraged collaboration and innovation.

1995 – James Gosling and Java

James Gosling at Sun Microsystems created Java, a programming language designed for portability and security. Java introduced the concept of “write once, run anywhere”, allowing code to run on any platform with a Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

1995 – Rasmus Lerdorf and PHP

Rasmus Lerdorf developed PHP, a server-side scripting language used for web development. PHP became one of the most popular languages for building dynamic websites, including platforms like WordPress and Facebook.

1995 – Brendan Eich and JavaScript

Brendan Eich created JavaScript in just 10 days while working at Netscape. JavaScript became the backbone of web development, enabling interactive and dynamic web pages. It remains one of the most widely used languages today.

1995 – Yukihiro Matsumoto and Ruby

Yukihiro Matsumoto (known as Matz) created Ruby, a dynamic, object-oriented programming language focused on developer happiness and simplicity. Ruby became popular with the Ruby on Rails framework, which simplified web development.

2001 – Guido van Rossum and Python

Guido van Rossum popularized Python, a simple yet powerful programming language used in data science, artificial intelligence, and web development. Python’s readability and flexibility made it one of the most popular languages in the world.

2003 – Matt Mullenweg and WordPress

Matt Mullenweg created WordPress, a platform that revolutionized website and blog creation. Today, WordPress powers over 40% of websites on the internet.

2005 – Linus Torvalds and Git

Linus Torvalds (also the creator of Linux) developed Git, a version control system that transformed collaborative coding. Git is now essential for software development and open-source projects.

2007 – Chris Lattner and LLVM

Chris Lattner developed the LLVM project, improving compiler performance and enabling the creation of languages like Swift and Rust. LLVM became a key tool for high-performance software development.

2010 – Ryan Dahl and Node.js

Ryan Dahl created Node.js, allowing JavaScript to run on the server side. This innovation made JavaScript one of the most versatile and widely used languages for web development.

2011 – JetBrains and Kotlin

The development team at JetBrains introduced Kotlin, a modern programming language designed for the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). Kotlin quickly became the preferred language for Android development.

2012 – Jeff Dean and TensorFlow

Jeff Dean and the Google team created TensorFlow, an open-source machine learning framework. TensorFlow enabled rapid advances in artificial intelligence and deep learning.

2014 – Chris Lattner and Swift

Chris Lattner (yes, the same person behind LLVM) created Swift, Apple’s new programming language for iOS and macOS. Swift combined high performance with a simple and safe syntax.

2015 – Brendan Eich and Brave

Brendan Eich (the creator of JavaScript) launched the Brave browser, which focuses on user privacy and faster browsing. Brave introduced new models for ad-blocking and revenue sharing.

2016 – Facebook and React Native

Facebook developed React Native, enabling developers to build mobile apps for iOS and Android using JavaScript. This framework increased the efficiency and consistency of app development.

2020 – OpenAI and GPT-3

OpenAI released GPT-3, one of the most powerful AI language models ever created. GPT-3 demonstrated advanced natural language understanding and generation capabilities.

2021 – Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum

Vitalik Buterin expanded the Ethereum platform, popularizing smart contracts and decentralized finance (DeFi). Ethereum became the backbone of the blockchain ecosystem.

2022 – OpenAI and ChatGPT

OpenAI launched ChatGPT (based on GPT-4), which quickly became one of the most widely used AI tools for text generation, coding assistance, and more.

2023 – Google and IBM and Quantum Computing

Google and IBM made breakthroughs in quantum computing, opening possibilities for solving complex problems in seconds that would take classical computers years.

From Ada Lovelace’s first algorithm to Grace Hopper’s pioneering work on compilers, the history of software is a story of creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. What started with mechanical instructions and punch cards has evolved into modern programming languages, complex algorithms, and artificial intelligence.

Software has transformed the world — powering everything from smartphones to spacecraft. And the best part? The story is still being written. Whether you’re learning to code for the first time or working on your next project, you are part of this ongoing history.