ELLA (programming language) facts for kids
| Developer(s) | Royal Signals and Radar Establishment |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 1986 |
| Written in | ALGOL 68RS |
| Operating system | VMS |
| Platform | ICL 2900 Series, Multics, VAX |
| Available in | English |
| Type | Hardware description language |
| License | public domain (parts) |
ELLA is a special computer language and a set of tools. It helps people design and check electronic parts, like those found inside computers or phones. ELLA was created in the United Kingdom by a group called the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE). They worked on it during the 1980s and 1990s. The RSRE also made the special program that helped write ELLA, called a compiler for the programming language ALGOL 68RS.
What ELLA Can Do
ELLA has many useful tools that help engineers. These tools make it easier to design complex electronic systems.
Designing and Checking Hardware
ELLA's tools can do several important things:
- Design transformation: This means ELLA can change how a design is put together. It can make the design better or simpler.
- Symbolic simulations: ELLA can test a design without actually building it. It uses symbols and math to see how the electronic part would work. This helps find problems early on.
- Formal verification: This is like a super-strict check. ELLA uses special math rules to prove that a design will work exactly as it should. It makes sure there are no hidden mistakes.
A Special Award
ELLA was so important and helpful that it won a big award. It received the 1989 Queen's Award for Technological Achievement. This award celebrates amazing new technologies from the UK.
How ELLA Looks (Sample)
ELLA uses its own special code to describe electronic circuits. This code helps engineers tell the computer exactly how a piece of hardware should behave. For example, engineers could use ELLA to describe how a part that multiplies numbers would work. This makes sure the design is correct before it's built.
