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Unit 11: Programming Process

Application Development Notes
Low-level C/C++

Pure Functional
Complete Core
11.1.1 Scripting

The most basic need of for scripting languages is one which is simple to use because it will be
used by those with a minimum of programming knowledge or in situations where cranking out
code which does the job is all the matters. An example of where this language might be used by
people with more of a programming background is in web scripting. Examples of languages that
might fall into this category are PHP, JavaScript, Perl, and Python. VB could also be considered
in this family but it is too frequently used for application development today.

11.1.2 Programmer’s Scripting

Real programmers also often have a need for scripting capabilities. However, they need a language
which is simple and complete. It must never stand in there way as is all to often the case with
standard scripting languages. It must be able to easily integrate into other languages.
Better Scheme is an excellent language for use in Programmer’s Scripting. It is simple, complete,
powerful and concise. In addition many programmers are exposed to Scheme or Lisp during their
education and so are already familiar with it. One thing which will most likely be needed is a good
extension to Better Scheme which provides solid support for object oriented programming because
Better Scheme scripts will frequently need to interact with objects created in other languages.
11.1.3 Application Development

To develop applications a language is needed which is complete and powerful but very safe. The
complexity of large application mandates a compile time safe language. It should also be fairly
high level and object oriented.

11.1.4 Low-level

For the purpose of operating systems and other low level code we need a language that operates
fast and just above the machine level. Of course there will always be occasion to slip into assembly
but that is by its nature machine specific and so not considered here.
Both C and C++ can be used for this. They provide the low level power needed while giving a
reasonable level of safety and abstraction.

11.1.5 Pure Functional
Certain tasks can best be done working in a purely function environment. And these languages
while not as widely used today are in many ways so distinct from others that it is important to
keep there legacy alive in the hopes that they may positively influence more common languages.
The only real example of this today is Haskell since languages like ML are not purely functional.

11.1.6 Complete Core
This language may never be used for real programming but I still think it would be important to
have in mind. It would be a core language which the application, scripting and pure functional

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