Generation of computer languages divided into four parts. As human beings need a common language to communicate, a language is also needed by the computer to communicate with users. A computer language is how data and instructions are transmitted to computers. In another way, computer languages are the interface between a computer and a human being. There are various computer languages, each with differing complexities.

Generation Of Computer Language

For example, the information that is understandable to a computer is expressed as zeros and ones. Computer languages may be broadly classified into four major categories:

Machine Language

Assembly Language

High-level Language

Non Procedural Language

Machine Language(first Generation Language)

First-generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform various input/output operations.
The set of instructions codes, which can be directly understood by the CPU of a computer without the help of any translating program, is called machine code or machine language.
All information in the computer is handled using electrical components like the integrated circuits, semiconductors, all of which can recognize only two states the presence or absence of an electrical signal.
Two symbols used to represent these two states are 0 and 1 and are known as BITS or Binary Digits. 0 represents the absence of a signal, 1 represents the presence of a signal. As computer use these two binary digits(0 and 1) to handle inputs /outputs, so it's language is also known as binary language.
Machine language differs from machine to machine because the internal design/structure of every computer varies from computer to computer. The programs written in machine language for one computer model will not run on a computer of a different model.
Although machine language can be easily used by the computer, it is difficult to read and understood by users.

Assembly Language(Second Generation Language)

Assembly language was the next higher level of computer programming languages, which we categorized under the second-generation languages.
Assembly language is easier to understand and use because specific English based words are used for performing specific operations. Like: 'ADD' used for addition, 'SUB' used for subtraction, etc.
Assembly languages are machine-dependent example assembly language program is specific to a particular machine, because each instruction in the symbolic language is translated into exactly one machine language instruction.
A translating program called an assembler is used to translate the instructions written in assembly language to the machine language and vice versa.

High-Level Language(Third Generation Language)

Third generation language was the next improvement in the field of computer programming languages. It refers to a high-level programming language such as FORTRAN, COBOL, BASIC, Pascal, C, C++, and java.
High-level language use syntax that is very easy to understand, but the syntax of each high-level language is different from the other high-level languages.
The programs written in a high-level language are shorter in length as compared to that of Low-level Languages.
Translators like compilers and interpreters are used to translate the program written in high-level languages.
High-level languages are machine-independent. The programs are written in high-level language for one computer will run on a computer of a different model.

Non-Procedural Language(Fourth Generation Language)

Fourth-generation languages are the easiest programming languages available today.
They are very easy to learn because their syntax and grammar are very easy to learn.
Programming in these languages does not require any programming experience in another language.
Fourth-generation languages are also known as Non-procedural languages because here the importance is laid on what is to be done rather than how it is to be done.
SQL is best example of the fourth generation language. It is used to create and modify information in database management systems.