Several up-and-coming scripting languages--some open-source--are gaining popularity among software developers. These dynamic programming languages, including Groovy, Scala, Lua, F#, Clojure and Boo, deserve more attention for your enterprise software development, even if your shop is dedicated to Java or .NET. Here's why.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2006-03-20
Member since:2008-09-08
[QUOTE]Really, the difference between a scripting language and a programming language is nil.[/QUOTE]
Agree. The only thing which then can be labeled as a "real" programming language would be coding in binary, which is silly.
Definition of a scripting lang from wikipedia:
[QUOTE en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scripting_language ]
"Scripts" are often treated as distinct from "programs", which execute independently from any other application. At the same time they are distinct from the core code of the application, which is usually written in a different language, and by being accessible to the end user they enable the behavior of the application to be adapted to the user's needs.
[/QUOTE]
I wouldn't call Scala a scripting language.
Member since:2005-07-06
Note that Scala, Boo and F# have local type inference, so this blur a little bit the difference between 'scripting' language and those language.
Of course C++200x will have local type inference, but C++ won't ever be confused with a scripting language due to its "early optimisation" focus..
Member since:
2006-03-01
At least three of the languages mentioned (scala, F# and boo) have a static type system. If you call them scripting languages you might as well call java and c++ scripting languages...