Computer lexicography is one of the important directions of modern domestic linguistics and translation studies.Nowadays, scientists face important questions related to the theoretical and practical aspects of compiling computer dictionaries, which, undoubtedly, have significant scientific significance.A necessary stage in solving these questions is to understand the peculiarities of the formation of this section of linguistic science -its preconditions, methodological base; directions of the scientific research.The article is devoted to highlighting some aspects of the historical development of domestic and foreign lexicography.The task of the article is to consider the main stages of the development of computer technologies for compilation of dictionaries and to determine the prerequisites that led to the emergence of such a direction in linguistics as computer lexicography.The advent of computers actively influenced the development of lexicography.Initially, they were used to prepare paper dictionaries, in other words, they served as a typewriter.But later it turned out that computers can perform such functions as editing, storing any lexicographic information, and therefore computer corpora of texts appeared, and then machine-readable dictionaries.emergence of linguistic databases, electronic libraries and card libraries.Automated lexicographic databases in the form of electronic dictionaries are now an integral part of systems of machine translation, information search, editing and correction of texts, as well as processing of large text arrays and their storage as a separate task of creating electronic libraries.Computer dictionaries on optical media enabled translators and scientists to quickly find any information about a word (translation, interpretation, etc.).