- #1
go quantum!
- 54
- 0
As computers become each time more important to do computations in physics, it is important to know which programming language would be the most important for a physicist. What do you think?
go quantum! said:As computers become each time more important to do computations in physics, it is important to know which programming language would be the most important for a physicist. What do you think?
This is an important point. Groups such as Dr Transport's are funded to make new discoveries. They rarely are funded to rewrite old, trusted legacy code in a modern language. The conversion can be very expensive and will almost certainly be erroneous.Dr Transport said:Now, before everyone jumps on me about Fortran, we use it everyday, some of our codes are built around legacy codes that are written in Fortran and will never be updated to C/C++.
Another salient point. Sometimes the sole reason a project stays with Fortran is because the head of the project has said "we'll switch to <insert other language> over my dead body." You don't have to wait until he dies. Just until he retires. Its amazing how many projects switch from Fortran to C/C++ shortly after some old-timer retired.Learning Fortran is a valuable skill, all of my young scientists and engineers have to learn it eventually because us old-timers will eventually retire.
The most commonly used programming language among physicists is Python. It is a high-level, versatile language that is easy to learn and has a large and supportive community.
Physicists can use any programming language, but there are specific ones that are designed for their field. For example, FORTRAN and C/C++ are popular languages for scientific computing and data analysis in physics.
Yes, there are advantages to using a specific programming language for physics. These languages often have built-in libraries and functions that are tailored for scientific calculations and simulations. They also have efficient numerical capabilities, which are important for handling large amounts of data.
While having a strong understanding of programming languages is not a requirement for physicists, it can greatly benefit their research and data analysis. Being able to write and modify code allows for more efficient and accurate analysis of complex data sets.
There are various resources available for physicists to learn programming languages, such as online tutorials, books, and workshops. Many universities also offer courses specifically designed for physicists to learn programming languages for their research needs.