Who is credited with inventing compilers?

Admiral Grace Hopper is credited with inventing compilers, which are essential components in computer programming. A compiler is a specialized software that translates high-level programming languages into machine code, allowing programs to be executed by computers. Hopper developed the first compiler, known as the A-0 System, in the early 1950s. This innovation paved the way for the development of future programming languages and significantly contributed to making programming more accessible and efficient.

Her work laid the foundational principles of software development and programming languages, leading to advances that have shaped modern computing. The significance of her invention is reflected in the way that compilers allow developers to write code without needing to manage the complexities of machine-level programming, fostering the growth of software engineering as a discipline.

Other individuals listed, while influential figures in computing and programming, did not invent the compiler itself. Bjarne Stroustrup is known for creating C++, John Backus for developing Fortran, and Donald Knuth for his work in algorithms and typesetting system (TeX), but it is Hopper's contribution that is specifically recognized as the invention of compilers.