The following chart (from http://www.adacore.com/home/ada_answers/comparison-chart/) provides an overview of evolution of the major features of the Ada programming language.


Programming Structure, Modularity Ada 83 Ada 95 Ada 2005 Ada 2012*
Packages √ √ √ √
Child units   √ √ √
Limited with clauses and mutually dependent specs     √ √
Generic units √ √ √ √
Formal packages   √ √ √
Partial parametrization     √ √
Conditional expressions, Case expressions       √
Quantified expressions       √
In-out parameters for functions       √
Iterators       √

 

Object-Oriented Programming Ada 83 Ada 95 Ada 2005 Ada 2012*
Derived types √ √ √ √
Tagged types   √ √ √
Multiple inheritance of interfaces     √ √
Named access types √ √ √ √
Access parameters, Access to subprograms   √ √ √
Enhanced anonymous access types     √ √
Aggregates √ √ √ √
Extension aggregates   √ √ √
Aggregates of limited type     √ √
Unchecked deallocation √ √ √ √
Controlled types, Accessibility rules   √ √ √
Accessibility rules for anonymous types     √ √
Preconditions, Postconditions, Type invariants       √

 

Concurrency Ada 83 Ada 95 Ada 2005 Ada 2012*
Tasks √ √ √ √
Protected types, Distributed annex   √ √ √
Synchronized interfaces     √ √
Delays, Timed calls √ √ √ √
Real-time annex   √ √ √
Ravenscar profile, Scheduling policies     √ √
Multiprocessor affinity, barriers       √
Re-queue on synchronized interfaces       √
Ravenscar for multiprocessor systems       √
Scientific Computing Ada 83 Ada 95 Ada 2005 Ada 2012*
Numeric types √ √ √ √
Complex types   √ √ √
Vector/matrix libraries     √ √
Standard Libraries Ada 83 Ada 95 Ada 2005 Ada 2012*
Input/output √ √ √ √
Elementary functions   √ √ √
Containers     √ √
Bounded Containers, holder containers, multiway trees       √
Character Support Ada 83 Ada 95 Ada 2005 Ada 2012*
7-bit ASCII √ √ √ √
8/16 bit   √ √ √
8/16/32 bit (full unicode)     √ √
String Encoding package       √

* Ada 2012 will be the next ISO standard of Ada.