The history of computing covers the history of methods intended for pen and paper or for chalk and slate, with or without the aid of tables.

In 1801, Joseph Marie Jacquard made an important step in the development of computers: he used a series of punched paper cards as a template to allow his loom to weave intricate patterns automatically. In 1837, Charles Babbage was the first to conceptualize and design a fully programmable mechanical computer that he called "The Analytical Engine". However, Babbage never actually built his Analytical Engine due to limited finance. In 1890, large-scale automated data processing of punched cards was performed for the US Census by tabulating machines designed by Herman Hollerith and manufactured by the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation, which later became IBM. By the end of the 19th century a number of technologies had begun to appear: the punched card, boolean algebra, the vacuum tube and the teleprinter.

During the first half of the 20th century, many scientific computing needs were met by increasingly sophisticated analog computers, which used a direct mechanical or electrical model of the problem as a basis for computation. However, these were not programmable and generally lacked the inconstancy and precision of modern digital computers.