ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Chomsky hierarchy

The Chomsky Hierarchy is a way of classifying the different kinds of languages and grammars that can be used in computer programming. It is named after the American linguist and cognitive scientist Noam Chomsky, who developed the theory in the 1950s. The hierarchy is made up of four different types of grammars.

1. Type-0 grammar: A type-0 grammar is a set of rules that can generate any possible combination of symbols.

2. Type-1 grammar: A type-1 grammar is a set of rules that can generate a limited set of combinations of symbols.

3. Type-2 grammar: A type-2 grammar is a set of rules that can generate simple but complex combinations of symbols.

4. Type-3 grammar: A type-3 grammar is a set of rules that can generate very complex combinations of symbols.

The Chomsky Hierarchy helps us understand how different languages and grammars can be used in computer programming. This helps us understand how to create the most efficient and powerful computer programs.