# Poll **URL:** https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/c/poll/7.md [Latest](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/latest.md) · [Categories](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/categories.md) --- ## [About the Poll category](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/about-the-poll-category/135)
**Author:** [@milancurcic](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/milancurcic)\ **Replies:** 0
Use this tag for any topic that is also a poll. --- ## [Computations with units (meters, seconds, ...)](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/computations-with-units-meters-seconds/1383)
**Author:** [@Arjen](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/Arjen)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [March 24, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/computations-with-units-meters-seconds/1383 "2026-03-24T20:33:23Z")
Hi everyone, I was reminded of this topic when reviewing the j3-fortran proposal on generic programming in Fortran (use cases): correctly handling units in computations. It is a topic with a long history and - as far as… --- ## [How much meaning do Fortran users ascribe to parentheses?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/how-much-meaning-do-fortran-users-ascribe-to-parentheses/10694)
**Author:** [@themos](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/themos)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2026, 10:07am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/how-much-meaning-do-fortran-users-ascribe-to-parentheses/10694 "2026-02-10T10:07:18Z")
You come across this Fortran line, where all names are default real non-pointer, non-allocatable scalars (i.e. this could have come from the 1950s). X = (A\*B)+C What is your interpretation of the author’s inten… --- ## [Swapping arrays during time-stepping](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/swapping-arrays-during-time-stepping/7354)
**Author:** [@ivanpribec](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/ivanpribec)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [December 19, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/swapping-arrays-during-time-stepping/7354 "2025-12-19T21:56:34Z")
For time-stepping large PDE problems, it’s common to read from one array (the previous time step), and write to a second array (the result at the new time step). Afterward the arrays are swapped. This is also known as th… --- ## [Is this cursed formatting?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/is-this-cursed-formatting/9594)
**Author:** [@adamyakes](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/adamyakes)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 17, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/is-this-cursed-formatting/9594 "2025-04-17T20:55:26Z")
One thing I miss a lot about Fortran compared to other languages I use is to declare variables at any point in time, and to have those variables automatically scoped to the block in which they’re declared (in an if, for … --- ## [Poll: Preferred style for tutorial code listings](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-preferred-style-for-tutorial-code-listings/147)
**Author:** [@milancurcic](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/milancurcic)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [August 25, 2022, 8:51am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-preferred-style-for-tutorial-code-listings/147 "2022-08-25T08:51:19Z")
This is the first basic poll for the style of the tutorial code listings. It only covers a few items: Variable and procedure naming style, indentation width, and whether to use a space in various end statements. They’re … --- ## [How useful is selected\_int\_kind and selected\_real\_kind?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/how-useful-is-selected-int-kind-and-selected-real-kind/6920)
**Author:** [@Carltoffel](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/Carltoffel)\ **Replies:** 36\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2024, 5:35pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/how-useful-is-selected-int-kind-and-selected-real-kind/6920 "2024-05-06T17:35:53Z")
As I’m building my Fortran lecture, I’m asking myself if it’s worth to teach selected\_\*\_kind. When I want to explain why they exist, my first idea was to say it’s because of data types weren’t standardized, but selected… --- ## [Unit Testing Frameworks for Fortran](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/unit-testing-frameworks-for-fortran/6944)
**Author:** [@danielc](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/danielc)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2024, 6:08pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/unit-testing-frameworks-for-fortran/6944 "2024-03-20T18:08:06Z")
I wanted to figure out which unit test framework I should consider for a new Fortran project. There are a ton listed in the Fortran wiki. I tried to weed out the ones that looked immature or unmaintained, and I still got… --- ## [Compiler error messages: show just the first, or all of them?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/compiler-error-messages-show-just-the-first-or-all-of-them/1481)
**Author:** [@certik](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/certik)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [March 11, 2024, 3:53pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/compiler-error-messages-show-just-the-first-or-all-of-them/1481 "2024-03-11T15:53:37Z")
As a Fortran user/developer, when you use Fortran compilers: Do you prefer to just get the first error message (e.g., -fmax-errors=1 in GFortran)? Or do you prefer to get all of the error messages (the default)? poll --- ## [MPI ABI support of mpif.h and whether users switch to the mpi module](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/mpi-abi-support-of-mpif-h-and-whether-users-switch-to-the-mpi-module/7425)
**Author:** [@JeffH](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/JeffH)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/mpi-abi-support-of-mpif-h-and-whether-users-switch-to-the-mpi-module/7425 "2024-02-18T21:07:26Z")
I would like Fortran community input on should the ABI support mpif.h? · Issue #834 · mpi-forum/mpi-issues · GitHub, which asks whether we should bother with MPI standard ABI support in the now-deprecated mpif.h, which i… --- ## [Periodic boundary conditions for stencil algorithms](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/periodic-boundary-conditions-for-stencil-algorithms/7353)
**Author:** [@ivanpribec](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/ivanpribec)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2024, 12:03pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/periodic-boundary-conditions-for-stencil-algorithms/7353 "2024-02-10T12:03:32Z")
What is your preferred approach for implementing periodic boundary conditions in stencil-based algorithms? poll If any of the methods is not clear, let me know and I will add an example to this post. --- ## [Auto-updating packages and package managers - fortls](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/auto-updating-packages-and-package-managers-fortls/7115)
**Author:** [@gnikit](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/gnikit)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [January 4, 2024, 10:11pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/auto-updating-packages-and-package-managers-fortls/7115 "2024-01-04T22:11:26Z")
I am wondering how users of Anaconda, Homebrew and any other robust and mature package management system would feel if a package in their system was performing automatic updates behind the scenes. This question has come… --- ## [What is a pure function?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/what-is-a-pure-function/4654)
**Author:** [@certik](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/certik)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [November 9, 2022, 3:57am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/what-is-a-pure-function/4654 "2022-11-09T03:57:54Z")
What do you consider to be a pure function? In your mind, the result of a pure function poll I discovered today that opinions differ on that. Wikipedia has a nice summary: Pure function - Wikipedia. Essentially everybo… --- ## [No reserved keywords: Why?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/no-reserved-keywords-why/2147)
**Author:** [@MarDie](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/MarDie)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2022, 5:01pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/no-reserved-keywords-why/2147 "2022-09-25T17:01:22Z")
In contrast to many other languages, Fortran does not have any reserved keywords. Is that decision still considered today as good practice or is it just a legacy from being the first high level language? Anyways, what a… --- ## [Modern Fortran for VS Code creating caches](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/modern-fortran-for-vs-code-creating-caches/4166)
**Author:** [@gnikit](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/gnikit)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2022, 4:02pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/modern-fortran-for-vs-code-creating-caches/4166 "2022-08-15T16:02:16Z")
While adding fypp support to the VS Code Modern Fortran extension we realised that Intel and NAG compilers cannot receive input from stdin. This actually means that we would have to temporarily create the files produced … --- ## [Is the Fortran Standard crucial for the future of the Fortran language?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/is-the-fortran-standard-crucial-for-the-future-of-the-fortran-language/4004)
**Author:** [@milancurcic](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/milancurcic)\ **Replies:** 39\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/is-the-fortran-standard-crucial-for-the-future-of-the-fortran-language/4004 "2022-07-23T19:32:59Z")
There are many programming languages that are national or international standards, and there are many that aren’t. There are successful and thriving languages on both sides. Just curious what you think: is the Fortran st… --- ## [Fortran Developer's Poll - 2022](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fortran-developers-poll-2022/3877)
**Author:** [@gnikit](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/gnikit)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 1, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fortran-developers-poll-2022/3877 "2022-07-01T21:29:14Z")
As a continuation of an older post about Code Editors used to write Fortran: Code Editors/IDEs used for Fortran. I thought it would be interesting to get some statistics about the OSs and processors people use to develop… --- ## [Code Editors/IDEs used for Fortran](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/code-editors-ides-used-for-fortran/3139)
**Author:** [@gnikit](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/gnikit)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [April 24, 2022, 9:54pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/code-editors-ides-used-for-fortran/3139 "2022-04-24T21:54:42Z")
With the Modern Fortran VS Code extension coming to Fortran Lang I was wondering what is the main editor people use in this community. Modern Fortran averages +7k new installs every month (which is different than downlo… --- ## [Future of Vegetables](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/future-of-vegetables/3232)
**Author:** [@everythingfunctional](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/everythingfunctional)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [June 16, 2022, 4:09pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/future-of-vegetables/3232 "2022-06-16T16:09:49Z")
I’m contemplating releasing a version of Vegetables with the parallel features removed. This will make it easier for codes that don’t use parallel features and possibly even use compilers that don’t even support them, to… --- ## [How do you intend to build the Fortran stdlib?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/how-do-you-intend-to-build-the-fortran-stdlib/1862)
**Author:** [@milancurcic](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/milancurcic)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [April 22, 2022, 5:46pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/how-do-you-intend-to-build-the-fortran-stdlib/1862 "2022-04-22T17:46:21Z")
See #526 for context. We’d like to decide whether it’s worth it to continue maintaining manual Makefiles for building Fortran stdlib. Which system do you use, or plan to use in the future, to build the Fortran stdlib? p… --- ## [Modern Fortran VS Code extension migrating to Fortran Lang on GitHub](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/modern-fortran-vs-code-extension-migrating-to-fortran-lang-on-github/3117)
**Author:** [@gnikit](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/gnikit)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [April 4, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/modern-fortran-vs-code-extension-migrating-to-fortran-lang-on-github/3117 "2022-04-04T19:02:12Z")
I was wondering how the Fortran Language owners and the wider community would feel about inheriting the Modern Fortran VS Code extension? Both the repo host and I are happy to pass it over to an organisation, to ensure c… --- ## [Poll: refactoring a chunk of legacy code](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-refactoring-a-chunk-of-legacy-code/2796)
**Author:** [@ivanpribec](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/ivanpribec)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [February 28, 2022, 2:50am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-refactoring-a-chunk-of-legacy-code/2796 "2022-02-28T02:50:32Z")
Consider the problem of refactoring the following chunk of legacy fixed-form code: nm1 = n - 1 if (nm1 .lt. 1) go to 70 do 60 j = 1, nm1 c ... 60 continue 70 continue The easiest approach … --- ## [Poll: Fortran 202X Conditional Expressions syntax](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-fortran-202x-conditional-expressions-syntax/1425)
**Author:** [@milancurcic](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/milancurcic)\ **Replies:** 96\ **Last updated:** [October 13, 2021, 10:39pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-fortran-202x-conditional-expressions-syntax/1425 "2021-10-13T22:39:15Z")
J3 and WG5 will vote on Monday, June 28 on two proposals for conditional expressions to be added as a feature to Fortran 202X. This poll aims to gather feedback from members of the Fortran community here. We will present… --- ## [Poll: Naming a function in stdlib](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-naming-a-function-in-stdlib/1900)
**Author:** [@milancurcic](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/milancurcic)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [September 24, 2021, 6:27am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-naming-a-function-in-stdlib/1900 "2021-09-24T06:27:28Z")
Consider that you’re importing a probability density function (pdf) for a uniform (or normal, exponential, beta, gamma etc.) distribution. This function could be named pdf\_uniform (kind of function first, kind of distrib… --- ## [Version control system support in fpm](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/version-control-system-support-in-fpm/1791)
**Author:** [@awvwgk](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/awvwgk)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 7, 2021, 1:04am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/version-control-system-support-in-fpm/1791 "2021-09-07T01:04:05Z")
For fpm we are currently only supporting git repositories, but of course there are many more ways for version control in active use in the Fortran community. What version control systems you are using for your projects?… --- ## [Fortran Programmers : How do you want to offload to GPU accelerators in the next 5 years?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fortran-programmers-how-do-you-want-to-offload-to-gpu-accelerators-in-the-next-5-years/247)
**Author:** [@fluidnumerics\_joe](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/fluidnumerics_joe)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2021, 12:30pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fortran-programmers-how-do-you-want-to-offload-to-gpu-accelerators-in-the-next-5-years/247 "2021-02-10T12:30:48Z")
There are a number of new directions for GPU acceleration coming our way, with multiple vendors now stepping into the GPUs-for-HPC arena. Here’s a few options that are currently available for GPU acceleration in Fortran… --- ## [Insert API for lists || Poll](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/insert-api-for-lists-poll/1595)
**Author:** [@Aman](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/Aman)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [July 29, 2021, 12:50pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/insert-api-for-lists-poll/1595 "2021-07-29T12:50:37Z")
Hope you are doing well, I was working on lists (string list) and realised that python uses INSERTING BEFORE option but I personally found INSERTING AT as the most intuitive one. Which one of the 3 behaviours do you pr… --- ## [How many times have you learned Fortran in your life?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/how-many-times-have-you-learned-fortran-in-your-life/597)
**Author:** [@vmagnin](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/vmagnin)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [June 5, 2021, 11:45am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/how-many-times-have-you-learned-fortran-in-your-life/597 "2021-06-05T11:45:30Z")
Fortran was born more than 60 years ago and being a standardized language, it acquires new features every 5 to 10 years. So if you’re old enough :t\_rex:, you have probably learned Fortran several times! Of course, you pr… --- ## [Which editions of (Modern) Fortran Explained do you own?](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/which-editions-of-modern-fortran-explained-do-you-own/626)
**Author:** [@milancurcic](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/milancurcic)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [January 28, 2021, 4:03pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/which-editions-of-modern-fortran-explained-do-you-own/626 "2021-01-28T16:03:00Z")
Just for fun: Which editions of (Modern) Fortran Explained by Metcalf, Reid, and (later) Cohen do you own? poll --- ## [Poll: Preferred style for kind parameters for real and character](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-preferred-style-for-kind-parameters-for-real-and-character/334)
**Author:** [@certik](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/certik)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/poll-preferred-style-for-kind-parameters-for-real-and-character/334 "2020-10-07T17:06:13Z")
When you declare a real variable with a kind parameter, which style do you prefer: poll (Anything can be used instead of dp, such as sp, wp, qp, real32, …) What about a character variable? poll (One can also use : or … [Next page](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/c/poll/7.md?page=1)