Tagged Questions
1
vote
2answers
146 views
What are complete programming languages with a minimal syntax and how is that important? [closed]
With minimal syntax I mean a language that could be entirely described with the least words possible, but complete enough to make any kind of program.
81
votes
12answers
6k views
Why are statements in many programming languages terminated by semicolons?
Is there a reason that a semi-colon was chosen as a line terminator instead of a different symbol?
I want to know the history behind this decision, and hope the answers will lead to insights that may ...
10
votes
11answers
520 views
Is there a personalizable programming language you can use to convert to others?
Is there a programming language in which you can set your own syntax configurations and it would convert the code to a language you choose?
For instance, you would choose specific configurations like ...
0
votes
2answers
100 views
Does syntax matters for a (Lispy) Domain Specific Language (MELT, inside GCC)?
I am the main author and designer of MELT, a domain specific language to extend GCC (the Gnu Compiler Collection). The implementation is available free software (GPLv3 licensed). If you want a ...
11
votes
5answers
420 views
Does the syntax of programming languages depend upon their implementation?
Although, my question may be entirely irrelevant, but I have sensed a pattern between most programming languages and their official implementations.
Interpreted (byte-interpreted?) languages like ...
4
votes
3answers
649 views
Whats the difference between syntax and grammar?
I understand the difference between syntax and semantics -
syntax - how the symbols are combined to form a valid expression or statement.
semantics - the meaning of those symbols that form an ...
14
votes
16answers
1k views
Suggest a good programming language to learn that is not OOP and definitely not in C style syntax [closed]
My first programming language in school was C. Then I learnt C++ and Java and got stuck with Java for 2 yrs. I was so addicted to java and OOP at first. I started making Java applications and became ...
20
votes
10answers
877 views
Is there a language out there in which parameters are placed inside method name?
in JavaScript:
function getTopCustomersOfTheYear(howManyCustoemrs, whichYear) {
// Some code here.
}
getTopCustomersOfTheYear(50, 2010);
in C#:
public List<Customer> ...
15
votes
9answers
641 views
Is there a language offering LISP-like macros with a more complex syntax?
LISP's macros are extremely powerful constructs, and the inability to introspect and modify the program itself beyond the method signature level has always struck me as a limitation. Yet I favour ...
9
votes
14answers
688 views
How do you keep all those languages straight in your head
I know Java, C#, C++. I have used Perl, and am picking up Python and Actionscript 3.
This is certainly a path others have trodden, so I am asking how do you keep all these languages straight in your ...
2
votes
2answers
318 views
Why do more languages not support ===
I mean it as it is used in JavaScript. Just curious why this is not supported in more languages? Like Java for example does not have it? Seems to be a very useful operator to have.
9
votes
8answers
479 views
Should programming languages be strict or loose?
In Python and JavaScript, semi-colons are optional.
In PHP, quotes around array-keys are optional ($_GET[key] vs $_GET['key']), although if you omit them it will first look for a constant by that ...
46
votes
11answers
2k views
Why do memory-managed languages retain the `new` keyword?
The new keyword in languages like Java, Javascript, and C# creates a new instance of a class.
This syntax seems to have been inherited from C++, where new is used specifically to allocate a new ...
27
votes
17answers
2k views
Does syntax really matter in a programming language?
One of my professors says "the syntax is the UI of a programming language", languages like Ruby have great readability and it's growing, but we see a lot of programmers productive with C\C++, so as ...
10
votes
22answers
961 views
Which useful alternative control structures do you know?
Similar question was closed on SO.
Sometimes when we're programming, we find that some particular control structure would be very useful to us, but is not directly available in our programming ...
