A High level programming language developed by John Barnes et al at ICI in the early 1970s. (John Barnes went on to become an ADA guru).
Programs are developed in a series of separately-compileable BRICKs. A BRICK may consist of a series of data declarations, or a PROCEDURE (function). Although each BRICK is separately compileable, several are normally combined into a single source file for submission to the compiler. Output from the compiler consists of Assembler code for the target machine, and a 'cross-reference' file which defines the 'shape' of each brick. Cross-reference files from each compiled module are submitted to a Linker, which checks and satisfies references between modules.
ICI also developed a series of real-time operating systems (MTS) which were largely written in RTL/2.
The language definition became a British Standard, and the compiler front-end was itself written in RTL/2, ensuring common syntax across all platforms.
The compiler was licenced to a number of companies, such as SPL (Systems Programmimg Ltd) and Software Sciences and compilers were developed for the DEC (now Compaq) PDP/11 and VAX, the Motorola 68xx and the IBM 360. The early compilers ran on the IBM mainframe and cross-compiled code for the mini systems.
Unfortunately, the language never really took off commercially, and latterly was supported by RTC - Real-Time Consultants - and Natron. An RTL/2 to C translator was developed and marketed by Natron.
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