Computing history · 1920s → present

The Timeline.

Computing history in context, decade by decade — from the theoretical foundations of the 1930s through the golden age of home computing in the 1980s to the retro revival of today. Each decade shows systems, games, people, and world events side by side.

1189 events · 11 decades · 44 world events

The birth of computing pioneers

Turing machines and early theory

WWII, ENIAC, and the computer age begins

Transistors and the first video games

Mainframes, space race, and semiconductors

Microprocessors, arcades, and home computing

The golden age of 8-bit and 16-bit

3D graphics, CD-ROMs, and the web

Mobile gaming and the indie revolution

Retro revival and crowdfunding

Nostalgia, preservation, and new frontiers