A Veteran Programmer’s Dream for Future Programming Languages: A Personal Vision from 38 Years of Experience

I have spent more than 38 years of my life in the world of programming, witnessing the evolution of programming languages from their early days to today. Among all the languages I’ve worked with, C++ remains my favorite. However, as I grow older and more experienced, I find myself contemplating the future, dreaming of a new programming language or a major update to C++ that overcomes all the limitations we face today. In this article, I will share some ideas and dreams that I hope to see in future programming languages, especially my beloved C++.

1. Comprehensive Documentation from the Language Developers:

One of the major challenges I’ve faced over the years is the lack of good documentation for various programming languages or frameworks. Sometimes, we have to rely on external sources that may not be reliable or up-to-date. My dream is for every future programming language to come with comprehensive and robust documentation from the developers of the language, eliminating the need for external references.

The ideal documentation should be:

• Extensive and detailed, covering everything from basics to advanced complexities.

• Regularly updated with every new release of the language.

• Contain live examples that illustrate each feature, show common mistakes, and how to avoid them.

2. Simplicity and Clarity in Using Language Elements:

I hope that future programming languages become closer to human language. For instance, there could be programming languages that use terms closer to human language or simplified commands that make the programming process more clear and straightforward.

Currently, some languages stand out for their simplicity in syntax, while others like C++ require deep understanding of structure and patterns. My dream is for the necessary complexities to be encapsulated into simple, clear commands, with access to these complexities available when needed. For example:

• The ability to hide complexities related to pointers and memory in simple commands while giving advanced developers the option to use these tools when necessary.

3. Support for All Popular Operating Systems and Processors:

One of my dreams is for future programming languages to support all popular operating systems and processors by default. Instead of writing custom code for each operating system or processor, there would be automatic and flexible support for all these environments, allowing programmers to write the code once and use it across multiple platforms without significant modifications.

• Built-in support for all systems like Windows, Linux, macOS.

• Support for multiple processors like x86, ARM, and others, providing programmers with the flexibility to develop solutions for various platforms without needing to learn additional languages.

4. Native Support for Web and Mobile Programming:

As technology advances and reliance on web and mobile applications increases, it has become essential for programming languages to support these environments natively. My dream is for future languages to come with built-in support for technologies like WASM (WebAssembly) to simplify web application development, as well as support for Android and iOS natively, without the need for special frameworks.

5. An Advanced Code Editor with AI Technologies:

We cannot overlook the revolution brought about by artificial intelligence in recent years. I hope to see a highly advanced code editor that leverages the latest AI technologies to assist programmers by:

• Suggesting solutions to code problems intelligently based on context.

• Analyzing code and predicting potential issues before they arise.

• Providing development suggestions to improve performance and efficiency.

6. Built-in Analysis Tools During Compilation:

One of the most necessary tools for any future programming language is having analysis tools integrated during compilation that identify potential problems in the code. For example:

• Detecting memory issues (such as leaks or misuse).

• Detecting multithreading issues.

• Providing clear guidelines for possible solutions.

These tools should be built directly into the compiler and provide detailed analysis on how to improve the code.

7. An Advanced Error Handler:

The ideal error handler should leave no room for critical mistakes in the final programs. I hope future programming languages can provide smart and accurate error handlers with detailed guidelines on how to avoid mistakes and improve program stability.

• The error handler should be integrated with the compiler and provide automatic fixes whenever possible.

• Minimize potential errors significantly to produce more stable programs.

I understand that some of these features already exist in part in certain programming languages or development environments, but I believe that all of these features have not yet been gathered into one comprehensive system. If such a language already exists, I would be grateful to anyone who could direct me to it. While this may seem like a dream, it is a dream I hope will come true in the future.

Programming is evolving, and so are we. I look forward to the day when we see a programming language that realizes this ideal vision, fulfilling the needs of programmers and making the development process more efficient and enjoyable.