Ada Lovelace was an English mathematician and writer who is widely considered to be the first computer programmer. She is known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. Her notes on the engine include what is recognized as the first algorithm intended to be carried out by a machine. Lovelace's work on the Analytical Engine is considered to be the foundation of modern computing and her contributions to mathematics and computing have been celebrated in recent years.