In 1950, the first programming language appeared - assembler. Computers then were still unconscious children in comparison with modern PCs. According to the laws of Darwinism, machines grew, gained intelligence and productivity. Along with them, programming languages have evolved. From low-level, they have turned into high-level, object-oriented. Now we have scripted or scripting languages.
What are scripting languages?
High-level programming languages for writing a sequence of operations, or scripts are called scripting, scripting, or interpreted languages. These include:
- JavaScript
- ActionScript
- Perl;
- Python
- Scala;
- R;
- Ruby
- PHP
Program languages such as C #, C or Pascal are used to create algorithms, procedures, new data. Scripting tools are designed to connect existing tools. Due to this, the amount of code is minimized.
In order to write the simplest program Hello, World! assembler requires 14 lines of code. C ++ will force you to write 8. Almost half as much, but still long. You will have to connect the header file, libraries, specify the function, and then compile. The same thing in Python fits in one phrase - print Hello, World !. The same result for less effort, with no compilers.
Processing speed
With the advent of scripting languages, assumptions about the imminent demise of C ++ are often heard in coder communities. More and more people complain about the difficult syntax and complexity of compilation. Advocates of procedural programming argue that Python code is far in speed to C. And Perl is a language for children unsuitable for "real" programming. But this is a myth.
Computer performance is growing exponentially. About 10 years ago, for speed, you really needed code in a programming language. Computing technology is now powerful enough to process scripts and applications in Java or Ruby in the same amount of time.
Who needs scripting languages for what purposes?
The expansion of the Internet has spawned a caste of "episodic programmers." These are webmasters, layout designers and owners of Internet resources for whom accessibility is important. They do not have time for many years of immersion in the basics of procedural programming. They write code from case to case, they need simple syntax for JavaScript scripts and front-end development. For server-side programming, both JS and the scripting language PHP are suitable.
Classical OOP is immensely proud of the inheritance of code implementation. This is the main argument of world domination of the PLO in the future, but also a significant drawback. When reusing part of the code or a separate subclass, you cannot get rid of the influence and methods of its superclass. But this is possible with JavaScript. Scripting languages provide painless reuse by embedding individual components in a common code.
Javascript
According to the popularity barometer, JavaScript comes first. Used for web programming, creating client applications and interactive work. JS interpreters are built into every self-respecting browser, and with the advent of Node, JavaScript began to be used to program servers.
Today JavaScript is a scripting language that is used on every site. Since it works directly in the browser, you do not need to download additional software, just a text editor. It is a flexible language with simple syntax, so it is often recommended for beginner coders.
Python
The popularity of this language is inexorably gaining momentum. Python is a high-level server-side scripting language for websites and mobile applications. It has compact syntax, it is convenient to read and easy to work with. Skeptics claim that Python is only suitable for working with the web, and it was created in order to animate static HTML. But this is not so.
Not only plugins and modules are written in Python. It is used in game development. The games Frets On Fire, MMORPG EVE, and Online Sims 4 (1 million copies sold) were created in Python. It is used by Instagram, Pinterest, Rdio, Google, Yahoo and even NASA. Python has a low entry threshold, it is quickly absorbed and remembered. You can learn it absolutely free of charge on the interactive Codecademy sites, Udacity and Coursera services.
Php
A server-side scripting language for dynamic websites and application development. It can be directly embedded in the source HTML document, and not in an external file. More than 200 million websites have been built and run on PHP, including Digg, Facebook and WordPress, Joomla, Drupal platforms.
To date, the most popular scripting languages are JavaScript, Python, PHP. Gradually gain the love of programmers Ruby, Scala and R.
- Ruby is a scripting language created in 1995 by Yukihiro Matsumoto. Until 2004, no one had heard of him until the Ruby on Rails framework appeared. Now Ruby is confidently catching up with Python.
- Interest in Scala is increasing. This is a functional language used by Foursquare and Twitter. You can write both web and Android applications on it.
- R is a tool for collecting statistics, working with graphics and a powerful scripting language. It is a collection of classic scripting functions, borrowed from Lisp and mathematics, with a set of routines for analysis.
conclusions
Scenic languages are now in trend, and most analysts are of the opinion that they have a future. Python, Ruby, PHP allow you to write compact and concise code with the least number of errors. Simple and understandable syntax allows anyone who wants to master them and start developing.