In computing, a type of programming language designed for the rapid programming of
applications but often lacking the ability to control the individual parts of the computer. Such a language typically provides easy ways of designing screens and reports, and of using databases. Other generations (the term implies a class of language rather than a chronological sequence) are
machine code (first generation);
assembly languages, or low-level languages (second); and conventional high-level languages such as
BASIC and
Pascal (third).
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