Augusta Ada King , Countess of Lovelace ( 10 December 1815 â `` 27 November 1852 ) , born Augusta Ada Byron , was an English writer who became the world 's first computer programmer . She wrote the program for Charles Babbage 's mechanical computer , the analytical engine . Augusta Ada King , Countess of Lovelace ( 10 December 1815 â `` 27 November 1852 ) , born Augusta Ada Byron , was an English writer chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage 's early mechanical general-purpose computer , the analytical engine .