Landri Domingue | December 4th, 2024
If you are well-versed in the complex and rapidly expanding world of computer science, then you are probably familiar with the line “Hello World!” If not, then these two words might seem unremarkable. As a computer science major, I’d like to explore the significance of this line and why it is arguably one of the most well-known lines of code to exist.
“Hello World!” is a rite of passage, so to speak, in the computer world. It is almost always the first command statement a person is taught to write in a new language. Even at Vanderbilt, the tradition of using “Hello World!” is commonly upheld in most classrooms. In fact, inside my CS 1101: Programming and Problem Solving class, one of the first topics discussed was creating print lines using “Hello World!” But out of the seemingly endless possibilities of statements, why is it always the same?
The origin of the line
This famous line was invented by computer scientist Brian Kernighan and first introduced to the public in his 1973 technical document, “A Tutorial Introduction to the Programming Language B.” Kernighan credits his inspiration for creating “Hello World!” to watching a cartoon of a chick hatching from an egg, exclaiming those two words. Kernighan noted the unusual comparison between the quick nature of a chick coming into the world and the instantaneousness of a program being created for the first time. Thus, the tradition of starting a program with the initial greeting “Hello World!” was born.
The purpose of this line in computer science
“Hello World!” serves the practical purpose of checking the user’s basic syntax, ensuring the program compiles and runs without resulting in an error message. When the execute button is pressed, this short program will output a single message to the user’s screen, “Hello World!” One reason this line is so favored in computer science classes is its universal applicability; the statement can be translated into any coding language and is relatively straightforward to execute correctly, even for those with little to no coding experience.
However, the line holds a much deeper meaning beyond its functional purpose. These two words serve as the entryway into the “world” of programming for new beginners. There is a certain rush of excitement programmers feel upon realizing they have successfully written their first lines of code, marking the start of their coding journey. This excitement and shared experience connects both new and seasoned programmers alike.
Whether you are a programming expert or novice, I invite you to carry on the tradition and say hello to the world of possibilities in computer science.
References
Kernighan, B. (1973). A TUTORIAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LANGUAGE B. Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey. https://www.bell-labs.com/usr/dmr/www/btut.html
Olsson, M. (2022). Hello World. In: Java 17 Quick Syntax Reference. Apress, Berkeley, CA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-7371-5_1
