The Howdy Glossary

Ada 95 is an internationally standardized object-oriented programming language developed as a major revision of Ada, initially created for high-integrity systems in the United States Department of Defense. It includes features such as object-oriented programming, hierarchical libraries, inheritance, improved real-time mechanisms, and robust support for concurrent processing, making it well-suited for safety-critical applications in industries like aviation, aerospace, military systems, and medical devices where reliability is paramount.

The Ada 95 revision was coordinated by the Ada 9X design team with contributions from various experts in programming languages and software engineering. The original Ada language was developed through a contract for the United States Department of Defense (DoD), specifically designed to promote reliability and safety in critical applications. This major revision aimed to enhance functionality for modern software engineering challenges while improving safety and reliability particularly crucial for high-stakes industries.

Ada 95 distinguishes itself with its comprehensive support for object-oriented programming, hierarchical libraries, real-time mechanisms, concurrency features tailored to complex applications demanding stringent requirements. These include strong typing and compile-time checks that enhance code reliability by detecting errors early in development. Competing languages like MISRA C offer guidelines for safe C code; SPARK provides static verification capabilities based on Ada; Modula-2 emphasizes simplicity and maintainability. However, Ada 95's combination of advanced features makes it especially suited for sectors such as aviation, aerospace, military systems, and medical devices where high levels of safety are essential.