AMPL (programming language)
AMPL is short for "A Mathematical Programming Language". Developed at Bell Laboratories, AMPL was designed as a high-level algebraic modeling language for mathematical programming problems (i.e. large scale optimization and scheduling type problems). However, AMPL does not solve those problems directly; instead, it calls appropriate external solvers (such as MINOS, IPOPT, SNOPT and so on) to obtain solutions. AMPL handles linear and nonlinear optimization problems, in discrete or continuous variables.
One particular advantage of AMPL is the similarity of its syntax to the mathematical notation of optimization problems. This allows for a very concise and readable definition of problems in the domain of mathematical programming. Many modern solvers available on the NEOS server (hosted at the Argonne National Laboratory) accept AMPL input.
One of the authors of AMPL is Brian Kernighan, who is also well known for his classic book on the C programming language. It is currently maintained by AMPL Optimization LLC.
The primary competitor to AMPL is GAMS (General Algebraic Modeling System), originally developed at the World Bank.