Which Fortran course should I take: Introduction, Advanced, or Conversion?

Fortranplus offers three named Fortran training courses, and the right one depends on your starting point rather than on how advanced you want to feel. If you have little or no programming experience, take Introduction to Programming with Modern Fortran. If you already program in another language or have finished the introductory course, take Advanced Modern Fortran. If you maintain legacy Fortran 66 or 77 code, take the Conversion to modern Fortran course. All three can be tailored to a client's needs, and Fortranplus also provides consultancy if your situation doesn't fit a standard course.

Match your background to the course

The dividing line between the first two courses is prior programming experience, not familiarity with Fortran. The Advanced course is designed to serve two audiences at once: beginners who have just finished the introduction, and experienced programmers from other languages who want to convert to modern Fortran.

Introduction to Programming with Modern Fortran

This is the entry point. It assumes little or no programming experience, so it starts from programming fundamentals rather than from Fortran syntax alone. Choose it if you are new to programming entirely, or if you have never written code in any language and want modern Fortran as your first language.

If you already write C++, Python, or another language comfortably, this course is likely to spend time on material you already know.

Advanced Modern Fortran

This is the follow-on course, and it deliberately targets two groups:

• People who completed the introductory course and want to go further.
• People with experience in another programming language who want to convert to modern Fortran.

That second group is the reason the course exists as a separate option rather than as a pure "part two." If you are a working programmer in another language, this is the course aimed at you, even though you haven't taken the introductory course.

Conversion to modern Fortran

This course exists for one specific problem: legacy Fortran 66 and 77 code. If your work involves maintaining, modernising, or migrating that code, this is the correct choice — neither the introductory nor the advanced course is described as addressing legacy conversion.

The site's keyword set also points to related advanced topics such as object oriented programming in Fortran and parallel programming with Fortran, which sit in the modern-Fortran space that the Advanced and Conversion courses address.

Tailoring and consultancy

Both main courses — and the courses generally — can be tailored to suit clients' needs. That matters if you are booking for a team with mixed backgrounds, or if your project needs a specific focus rather than a standard syllabus.

Fortranplus also offers a Fortran consultancy service, described on its consultancy pages. Consultancy is the route to consider when your need is project-specific rather than course-shaped — for example, when you need help with a particular codebase rather than general training.

Practical notes before you decide

• The site provides a Fortran resource file with current Fortran information, including compilers, books, courses, and discussion forums; it is listed as updated 21 December 2025.
• Fortranplus also publishes Fortran books, with example sets for the 1st through 4th editions plus a Fortran 77 book, which can support self-study alongside or instead of a course.
• The site lists a course evaluation form, and includes past participant feedback describing the course materials, practical content, and tutor arrangements positively. Treat these as the provider's own published testimonials rather than independent reviews.
• The site does not publish prices or booking/payment details in the material available here, so confirm cost, format, and scheduling directly with Fortranplus before committing.

A quick decision rule

Ask one question first: do you already have Fortran 66 or 77 code to deal with?

• Yes → Conversion to modern Fortran.
• No → do you already program in another language, or have you completed the introductory course?
  • Yes → Advanced Modern Fortran.
  • No → Introduction to Programming with Modern Fortran.

If your team spans more than one of these categories, or your goal is tied to a specific project, ask about tailoring or consultancy instead of forcing everyone into a single standard course.