Introduction to Fortran Libraries: Leveraging External Functions

May 16, 2024

Learn how to leverage Fortran libraries and external functions to enhance the functionality and performance of your programs. This post introduces the concept of libraries, linking external functions, and utilizing pre-built modules in Fortran.

What are Fortran Libraries?

Fortran libraries are collections of precompiled routines, functions, and subroutines that can be linked to your Fortran program to provide additional functionality. These libraries are designed to save you time and effort by allowing you to reuse code that has already been written and tested by others.

Linking External Functions

One of the key benefits of using Fortran libraries is the ability to link external functions to your program. This means you can call functions that are not part of your main program but are stored in a separate library file. By linking these external functions, you can access a wide range of additional capabilities without having to write the code yourself.

Utilizing Pre-built Modules

In addition to external functions, Fortran libraries often contain pre-built modules that you can use in your programs. These modules provide a structured way to organize your code and can offer specialized functionality for specific tasks. By including these modules in your program, you can take advantage of optimized code that has been developed by experts in the field.

Example of Using a Fortran Library

Let’s say you want to perform complex mathematical calculations in your Fortran program. Instead of writing the algorithms from scratch, you can leverage a mathematical library that provides functions for common operations such as matrix multiplication or solving differential equations.

program main
  use math_library
  real :: result
  result = matrix_multiply(matrix1, matrix2)
end program

In this example, the program links to the ‘math_library’ and uses the ‘matrix_multiply’ function to perform matrix multiplication without having to implement the algorithm manually.

Conclusion

By understanding how to use Fortran libraries, link external functions, and utilize pre-built modules, you can significantly enhance the capabilities of your Fortran programs. Take advantage of the wealth of resources available in Fortran libraries to streamline your development process and improve the performance of your applications.