Intentional Programming and Software

To realize this vision, Simonyi developed Intentional Programming (later rebranded as Intentional Software). This approach proposes a fundamental shift in how code is created and maintained:

• Intent Over Syntax: Instead of writing code in a fixed language like Java or C++, programmers and "domain experts" (e.g., accountants, scientists) define their intentions in a high-level, editable graph.

• The Domain Workbench: Users manipulate software artifacts in a visual environment (similar to a PowerPoint palette or WYSIWYG editor) rather than a text editor. These manipulations represent "intentions."

• Automated Code Generation: A generator translates these high-level intentions into executable code. This separates the what (the design/intent) from the how (the implementation), allowing the system to automatically handle low-level details and reducing bugs.

• Empowering Domain Experts: By removing the barrier of arcane syntax, Simonyi’s vision enables non-programmers to modify and evolve software directly, ensuring the final product aligns perfectly with business needs without constant intermediary translation by developers.

Although Intentional Software was acquired by Microsoft in 2017, Simonyi’s concepts of intent-driven development and raising abstraction levels are seen as precursors to modern low-code platforms and AI-driven software generation tools.