How to Get Started with Fortran 90 on Windows 7 - A Guide to Downloading and Installing a Compiler
Fortran 90 Compiler for Windows 7 Free Download
Fortran 90 is a programming language that is widely used for scientific and engineering applications. It is a modern version of the original Fortran language, which was developed in the 1950s. Fortran 90 offers many features and benefits that make it suitable for numerical computation, data analysis, simulation, modeling, and more. In this article, we will explain what Fortran 90 is, why you need a compiler for it, and how to download and install a Fortran 90 compiler for Windows 7.
Fortran 90 Compiler For Windows 7 Free Download
What is Fortran 90?
Fortran 90 is a general-purpose programming language that supports both procedural and object-oriented paradigms. It is an extension of the previous standard, Fortran 77, with many improvements and additions. Some of the main features and benefits of Fortran 90 are:
It allows the use of arrays, structures, pointers, dynamic memory allocation, modules, derived types, generic procedures, operator overloading, and more.
It supports parallel processing, recursion, exception handling, input/output facilities, and interoperability with C.
It has a concise and expressive syntax that makes it easy to read and write.
It has a high level of portability and compatibility across different platforms and compilers.
It has a rich set of libraries and tools that provide various functionalities and capabilities.
It has a long history and a large community of users and developers.
Applications and examples of Fortran 90
Fortran 90 is widely used in various domains of science and engineering, such as physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, meteorology, geology, fluid dynamics, optimization, numerical analysis, artificial intelligence, etc. Some of the applications and examples of Fortran 90 are:
The NASA Earth System Model (ESM) is a global climate model that simulates the interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, ice sheets, biosphere, and human activities. It is written in Fortran 90 and runs on supercomputers.
The Quantum ESPRESSO package is a software suite for electronic-structure calculations and materials modeling at the nanoscale. It is based on density-functional theory (DFT) and uses plane waves and pseudopotentials. It is written in Fortran 90 and can run on parallel machines.
The GAMESS program is a general ab initio quantum chemistry package that can perform molecular orbital calculations for molecules ranging from diatomics to macromolecules. It can handle various methods such as Hartree-Fock (HF), density functional theory (DFT), configuration interaction (CI), coupled cluster (CC), etc. It is written in Fortran 90 and can run on various platforms.
Why do you need a compiler for Fortran 90?
A compiler is a software program that translates the source code written in a programming language into executable code that can run on a computer. A compiler performs various tasks such as lexical analysis, syntax analysis, semantic analysis, code generation, optimization, etc. A compiler is essential for running any program written in a programming language.
What is a compiler and how does it work?
A compiler is composed of two main components: the front end and the back end. The front end analyzes the source code written in a programming language (such as Fortran 90) and checks its syntax, semantics, structure, etc. It also generates an intermediate representation (IR) of the source code that can be processed by the back end. The back end takes the IR generated by the front end and converts it into executable code that can run on a specific target machine (such as Windows 7). The back end also performs various optimizations to improve the performance of the executable code.
Types and differences of compilers for Fortran 90
There are different types of compilers for Fortran 90 depending on various factors such as their license (free or commercial), their development status (stable or experimental), their target platform (Windows or Linux), their compatibility (standard or non-standard), their performance (fast or slow), their features (basic or advanced), etc. Some of the common types of compilers for Fortran 90 are:
GNU Fortran: This is a free and open source compiler that is part of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC). It supports most of the features of the Fortran standards (including Fortran 95) as well as some extensions. It also provides CPU and GPU offload support. It can run on various platforms including Windows.
Intel Fortran: This is a commercial compiler that offers high performance and compatibility with existing workflows. It supports most of the features of the Fortran standards (including Fortran 2008) as well as some extensions. It also provides CPU and GPU offload support. It can run on various platforms including Windows.
Simply Fortran: This is a user-friendly compiler that integrates seamlessly with popular third-party compilers, development environments, and operating systems. It supports most of the features of the Fortran standards (including Fortran 2008) as well as some extensions. It also provides CPU offload support. It can run on various platforms including Windows.
How to choose the best compiler for your needs
The best compiler for your needs depends on various factors such as your budget (free or paid), your preference (simple or complex), your goal (learning or production), your project (small or large), your platform (Windows or Linux), your standard (Fortran 95 or newer), your feature (basic or advanced), etc. Some of the criteria that you can use to choose the best compiler for your needs are:
The license: If you want a free compiler that you can modify or distribute freely, you can choose GNU Fortran. If you want a commercial compiler that offers professional support and updates, you can choose Intel Fortran or Simply Fortan.
The development status: If you want a stable compiler that has been tested extensively and has fewer bugs or errors, you can choose Intel Fortran or Simply Foran. If you want an experimental compiler that has more features but may have more bugs or errors, you can choose GNU Foran.
The target platform: If you want a cross-platform compiler that can run on various operating systems including Windows, you can choose any of the three compilers mentioned above. However, if you want a platform-specific compiler that can optimize your code for a particular operating system such as Windows, you can choose Intel Foran or Simply Foran.
The compatibility: If you want a standard-compliant compiler that follows the rules and specifications of the official Foran standards, you can choose any of the three compilers mentioned above. However, if you want a non-standard-compliant compiler that supports some extensions or features that are not part of the official Foran standards, you can choose GNU Foran or Intel Foran.
The performance: If you want a fast compiler that can generate efficient and optimized executable code, you can choose Intel Foran or Simply Foran. If you want a slow compiler that can generate simple executable code, you