"Scripting languages"

[zimu]

could someone help me out with all the scripting languages (common ones)?

i would consider PHP and coldfusion to be scripting, and javascript. what else?

 

[lordex]

perl, python, ruby, vbscript...

 

[oog]

awk, sed

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Tcl, Lua

Lisp, Scheme, Haskell (I don't know if these are considered scripting languages or not)

 

[Extrarius]

Lisp, Scheme are often considered scripting languages, but truely they are no more so than C or C++. There are interpreters for them, but there are also compilers and they are all used to write real programs in the real world. I'd guess the same is true about Haskell.

 

[notfred]

I really don't see the point of calling a language a "scripting language" as opposed to a "programming language", as they both do the same thing. The only difference is in how the program is run, either through an interpreter or as native machine code, but many languages will allow you to do either depending on how they're compiled, and then there are languages like java that don't really fit into either category...

 

[lordex]

IMHO, while there isn't a formal definition, a script language usually has the following characteristics:
- Programs are executed interpretationally at source code level.
- Variables are generally weakly typed.

 

[Haden]

I'm calling "scripting language" language with limited extensibility/designed for rather limited tasks (awk, bash scr. etc.)
BTW there is interpreter for C/C++ (and several others I've heard of)

 

[Descartes]

To me a scripting language is simply taking otherwise independent commands, combining them, and running them as a whole; a "batch file" if you will. There is generally very few facilities added outside of what you couldn't otherwise do by hand; limited flow-control, logic handling, etc. I think shell/batch scripting fall under this category, and so do the various dialects. A scripting language simply does what it says, scripts the execution of a larger and more complex facility (scripting engine).

How a language is interepreted has little to do with it's classification, imo, because all languages are interpreted at some level (whether Java bytecode, .NET IL, or the opcodes of native-code).

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

My opinion is that if you run a plain text file with source code, and it executes and actually runs the program, then it's a scripting language. If you compile to some other file, and then run that file, then it's not. But that's just sort of my own general way of discerning the two.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey
My opinion is that if you run a plain text file with source code, and it executes and actually runs the program, then it's a scripting language. If you compile to some other file, and then run that file, then it's not. But that's just sort of my own general way of discerning the two.

But by that definition then BASIC (IBM PS/2 style) would be a scripting language (though, having used it, I can say it's not much more useful than DOS batch commands). I guess no classification system is perfect.

 

[DWW]

What do you want to do?

That really determines what you should learn.

IMO ASP .Net and JSP are both high-end systems that should only be used in very complex, big online shopping type sites but thats just my opinion over time. JSP seems extremely overly-complicated, but I'm used to ASP .Net

As for ASP classic (just referred to as "ASP" instead of "ASP .Net") I think this is a deadend. ASP .Net is much better and the base class library is pretty cool, plus the added development environment of visual studio is familiar, at least to me.

Now, if you want to learn scripting, for dynamic web pages I think PHP is a great start. Its free, open and its gaining recognition and its share of the market. It is even developing into an object oriented dynamic scripting like PERL, ASP .Net and JSP.

PERL. This was my first scripting language (in the web sense). I love PERL. Fast, short amount of code required (if you know what your doing ) but it has a steeper learning curve (and I don't just mean learning how to print an http header and tags using CGI mod ).

Python is picking up market share too in the open source community most notably. I've used it but don't find it particularly amazing although it is pretty simple if stuff like C pointer arithmetic can confuse you. Lots of popular open source apps are now based on Python.

LISP. Hrm, this is ancient 1960s like. But I shouldn't diss it because of that cause my favorite language of all-time is C and thats pretty old itself hehe. Its used quite often for prototyping and in the "academic" community. I've yet to see people actually use it in real life, though lots like to claim the lists support is good for AI... then again I've my doubts

You mentioned coldfusion. Well, uhhh... no. Thats the short answer. Long answer is that PHP, PERL and ASP .Net all have larger support communities and are featureful themselves so go for one of those

I still suggest PHP for a beginner. Its such a simple language.

It all depends...what do you want to make/create? Tell us and we can suggest

 

[Nothinman]

My opinion is that if you run a plain text file with source code, and it executes and actually runs the program, then it's a scripting language. If you compile to some other file, and then run that file, then it's not. But that's just sort of my own general way of discerning the two.

Then what about languages like perl and python that are usually interpreted but have compilers available?

 

[DWW]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

My opinion is that if you run a plain text file with source code, and it executes and actually runs the program, then it's a scripting language. If you compile to some other file, and then run that file, then it's not. But that's just sort of my own general way of discerning the two.

Then what about languages like perl and python that are usually interpreted but have compilers available?

Thats simple because the only true computer languages are ASM and C
*ducks and runs*

j/k of course

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

My opinion is that if you run a plain text file with source code, and it executes and actually runs the program, then it's a scripting language. If you compile to some other file, and then run that file, then it's not. But that's just sort of my own general way of discerning the two.

Then what about languages like perl and python that are usually interpreted but have compilers available?

Very heavy emphasis on "general," because I do realize that there are a billion grey areas in this subject (and I knew someone would come back with that exact comment ). You can compile normally interpeted languages, you can interpret normally compiled languages, you can extend scripting languages in compiled languages, you can embed scripting languages in compiled languages ... etc. (I actually write Python for a project that loads the Python from C++, and also Ruby, and evantually hopefully others)

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Originally posted by: DWW
I still suggest PHP for a beginner. Its such a simple language.

I think that PHP teaches a lot of bad habits and as a language is horrible. Beginners would be MUCH better off with Python, IMO, or even C#, or Ruby, or others.

 

[lordex]

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey


I think that PHP teaches a lot of bad habits and as a language is horrible. Beginners would be MUCH better off with Python, IMO, or even C#, or Ruby, or others.

Wow, wow, I wouldn't just throw C# in there with Python or Ruby, which are good languages for sure, but they are not in the same category with C#.

I agree with you, though, that php or perl isn't necessarily the best start point.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Originally posted by: lordex

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey


I think that PHP teaches a lot of bad habits and as a language is horrible. Beginners would be MUCH better off with Python, IMO, or even C#, or Ruby, or others.

Wow, wow, I wouldn't just throw C# in there with Python or Ruby, which are good languages for sure, but they are not in the same category with C#.

I agree with you, though, that php or perl isn't necessarily the best start point.

I've barely even looked at C#, much less read extensively about it or use it, so I can't really make a valid comparison. I just kinda tossed it in because I know (second-hand, anyways) that it's generally a well designed language.