Scripting Programming Language

A Scripting Programming Language is a programming language that allow for prototyping and automation of tasks through interpreted code.

• AKA: Script Language.
• Context:
  • It can typically be an Interpreted Programming Language.
  • It can typically provide Rapid Development capability through dynamic typing and minimal compilation.
  • It can typically support Interactive Execution through command line interfaces or REPL environments.
  • It can typically enable Task Automation for system administration, data processing, and workflow execution.
  • It can typically reduce Boilerplate Code compared to compiled languages through high-level abstractions.
  • It can typically offer Runtime Flexibility with dynamic evaluation and late binding.
  • ...
  • It can often emphasize Programmer Productivity over execution performance.
  • It can often provide Glue Code Capability for connecting external components and existing systems.
  • It can often include Built-in String Processing with regular expression support.
  • It can often feature Dynamic Memory Management that handles allocation and deallocation automatically.
  • It can often support Dynamic Loading of code modules during program execution.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a General Scripting Programming Language to being a Domain-Specific Scripting Programming Language.
  • It can range from being a Shell Scripting Language to being an Application Scripting Language, depending on its execution environment.
  • It can range from being a Simple Scripting Language to being a Full-Featured Scripting Language, depending on its feature set and capability.
  • It can range from being a Text-Processing Scripting Language to being a System Administration Scripting Language, depending on its specialization.
  • It can range from being a Pure Scripting Language to being a Hybrid Scripting Language, depending on its compilation support.
  • ...
  • It can be used to create a Shell Script.
  • It can have Garbage Collection for memory management.
  • It can have Dynamic Type Systems that determine variable types at runtime.
  • It can have Reflection Capability for introspection and meta-programming.
  • It can have Embedded Capability for extending host applications through scripting interfaces.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • General-Purpose Scripting Languages, such as:
    • Python Programming Language for data processing, web development, and system administration.
    • JavaScript for web browser automation, server-side processing, and cross-platform application.
    • Ruby Programming Language for web development and text processing.
    • Perl Programming Language for text manipulation and system administration.
    • PHP Programming Language for web development.
    • Lua Programming Language for embedded scripting and game development.
    • Scala Programming Language (with Scala REPL).
  • Shell Scripting Languages, such as:
    • Bash for Unix shell scripting.
    • PowerShell for Windows administration.
    • Zsh for extended shell capability.
  • Domain-Specific Scripting Languages, such as:
    • AutoHotkey for desktop automation.
    • AutoIt for Windows GUI automation.
    • VBScript for Windows system administration.
    • AppleScript for macOS automation.
  • Embedded Scripting Languages, such as:
    • Lua for game scripting and application extension.
    • AngelScript for game engine integration.
    • ECMAScript for browser environment.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Compiled Programming Languages that require complete compilation before execution, such as:
    • C Language for system programming.
    • C++ Language for performance-critical application.
    • Java Language for enterprise application.
  • Statically-typed Programming Languages that require explicit type declarations, such as:
    • Go Language for concurrent system.
    • Rust Language for memory-safe system programming.
    • Haskell Language for functional programming.
  • Unix Utilitys that provide single function rather than programming environments.
  • Markup Languages like HTML or XML which are declarative notations rather than executable languages.
  • Configuration Languages that specify settings rather than algorithms.
• See: Run-Time Environment, Operating System, Embedded System, Interpreter, Dynamic Programming Language, Glue Code, REPL, Shell, Domain-Specific Language, Interactive Programming.

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References

2013

• (Wikipedia, 2013) ⇒ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scripting_language Retrieved:2013-12-12.
  • A scripting language or script language is a programming language that supports scripts, programs written for a special run-time environment that can interpret (rather than compile) and automate the execution of tasks which could alternatively be executed one-by-one by a human operator. Environments that can be automated through scripting include software applications, web pages within a web browser, the shells of operating systems (OS), and embedded systems. A scripting language can be viewed as a domain-specific language for a particular environment; in the case of scripting an application, this is also known as an extension language. Scripting languages are also sometimes referred to as very high-level programming languages, as they operate at a high level of abstraction.

    The term "scripting language" is also used loosely to refer to dynamic high-level general-purpose language, such as Perl, Tcl, and Python, with the term "script" often used for small programs (up to a few thousand lines of code) in such languages, or in domain-specific languages such as the text-processing languages sed and AWK. Some of these languages were originally developed for use within a particular environment, and later developed into portable domain-specific or general-purpose languages.

    Conversely, many general-purpose languages have dialects that are used as scripting languages. This article discusses scripting languages in the narrow sense of languages for a specific environment; dynamic, general-purpose, and high-level languages are discussed at those articles.

    The spectrum of scripting languages ranges from very small and highly domain-specific languages to general-purpose programming languages used for scripting. Standard examples of scripting languages for specific environments include: bash, for the Unix or Unix-like operating systems; ECMAScript (JavaScript), for web browsers; and Visual Basic for Applications, for Microsoft Office applications. Lua is a language designed and widely used as an extension language. Python is a general-purpose language that is also commonly used as an extension language, while ECMAScript is still primarily a scripting language for web browsers, but is also used as a general-purpose language. The Emacs Lisp dialect of Lisp (for the Emacs editor) and the Visual Basic for Applications dialect of Visual Basic are examples of scripting language dialects of general-purpose languages. Some game systems, notably the Trainz franchise of Railroad simulators have been extensively extended in functionality by scripting extensions.

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