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{{Short description|Type of programming language}}
{{Programming paradigms}}▼
A '''concatenative programming language''' is
==Example==
For example, a nesting of operations in an applicative language like the following:
<syntaxhighlight lang="javascript">
==Properties==▼
baz(bar(foo(x)))
</syntaxhighlight>
...is written in a concatenative language as a sequence of functions:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://concatenative.org/wiki/view/Concatenative%20language/Name%20code%20not%20values |title=Name code not values |publisher=Concatenative.org |access-date=13 September 2013}}</ref>
x foo bar baz
Functions and procedures written in concatenative style are not [[Value-level programming|value level]], i.e., they typically do not represent the data structures they operate on with explicit names or [[Identifier#In computer science|identifiers]]. Instead they are [[Function-level programming|function level]] – a function is defined as a [[pipeline (software)|pipeline]], or a sequence of operations that take parameters from an implicit [[data structure]] on which all functions operate, and return the function results to that shared structure so that it will be used by the next operator.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://concatenative.org/wiki/view/Concatenative%20language |title=Concatenative language |publisher=Concatenative.org |access-date=13 September 2013}}</ref>
The combination of compositional [[Semantics (computer science)|semantics]] with a [[Syntax (programming languages)|syntax]] that mirrors such a semantic makes concatenative languages highly amenable to algebraic manipulation of programs;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.latrobe.edu.au/philosophy/phimvt/joy/j00rat.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110115151536/http://www.latrobe.edu.au/philosophy/phimvt/joy/j00rat.html |archive-date=2011-01-15 |title=Rationale for Joy, a functional language}}</ref> although it may be difficult to write mathematical expressions directly in them.<ref name="whymatters"/> Concatenative languages can be implemented efficiently with a [[stack machine]], and are commonly present implicitly in [[virtual machine]]s in the form of their [[instruction set]]s.<ref name="whymatters">{{cite web |last1=Purdy |first1=Jon |date=12 February 2012 |url=http://evincarofautumn.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-concatenative-programming-matters.html |title=Why Concatenative Programming Matters |website=The Big Mud Puddle |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref>
▲==Properties==
The properties of concatenative languages are the result of their compositional syntax and semantics:
* The reduction of any expression is the simplification of one function to another function; it is never necessary to deal with the application of functions to objects.<ref>
* Any subexpression can be replaced with a name that represents the same subexpression.
▲* The reduction of any expression is the simplification of one function to another function; it is never necessary to deal with the application of functions to objects.<ref>[http://www.latrobe.edu.au/philosophy/phimvt/joy/j08cnt.html Joy compared with other functional languages].</ref>
* The syntax and semantics of concatenative languages form the algebraic structure of a [[monoid]].<ref>
▲* Any subexpression can be replaced with a name that represents the same subexpression. This is referred to in the concatenative community as [[Code refactoring|factoring]] and is used extensively to simplify programs into smaller parts.
* Concatenative languages can be made well-suited to an implementation inspired by [[linear logic]] where no [[Garbage (computer science)|garbage]] is ever generated.<ref>
▲* The syntax and semantics of concatenative languages form the algebraic structure of a [[monoid]].<ref>[http://www.latrobe.edu.au/philosophy/phimvt/joy/j02maf.html von Thun, Manfred: Mathematical foundations of Joy]</ref>
▲* Concatenative languages can be made well-suited to an implementation inspired by [[linear logic]] where no [[Garbage (computer science)|garbage]] is ever generated.<ref>[http://home.pipeline.com/~hbaker1/ForthStack.html Henry Baker: Linear Logic and Permutation Stacks — The Forth Shall Be First]</ref>
==Implementations==
The first concatenative programming language was [[Forth (programming language)|Forth]], although [[Joy (programming language)|Joy]] was the first language which was termed concatenative. Other concatenative languages are [[dc (computer program)|dc]], [[Factor (programming language)|Factor]], Onyx, [[PostScript]], [[RPL (programming language)|RPL]], Staapl,<ref name="Staapl">{{cite web |last1=Schouten |first1=Tom (zwizwa) |date=<!-- Undated --> |url=http://zwizwa.be/staapl/ |title=Staapl: Forth on Scheme for Embedded Controllers |website=Zwizwa LLC |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref> and experimental and discontinued ones including:<!-- Alphabetic order--> Enchilada,<ref name="Enchilada">{{cite web |author1=rapido |author2=NewDave |author3=jacintheford |author4=goren |date=2 January 2024 |url=https://concatenative.org/wiki/view/Enchilada |title=Enchilada |website=Concatenative.org |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref> Om,<ref name="Om">{{cite web |author1=sparist |date=<!-- Undated --> |url=https://www.om-language.com/ |title=The Om Programming Language |website=Om-language.com |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref> XY.<ref name="XY">{{cite web |last1=Apter |first1=Stevan |date=2004 |url=http://www.nsl.com/k/xy/xy.htm |title=The Concatenative Language XY |website=no stinking loops |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref>
Most existing concatenative languages are [[Stack-oriented programming|stack-based]]
Most concatenative languages are [[dynamically typed]]. Exceptions include the [[statically typed]] Cat language<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cat-language.com/manual.html |title=Cat Specification |publisher=Cat-language.com |access-date=2013-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205081218/http://cat-language.com/manual.html |archive-date=2015-02-05}}</ref> and its successor, Kitten<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Purdy |first1=Jon |title=Kitten Programming Language |url=https://kittenlang.org/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=kittenlang.org}}</ref>.
▲Most existing concatenative languages are [[stack-based]]; this is not a requirement and other models have been proposed.{{source?|date=March 2011}} Concatenative languages are currently used for [[embedded systems|embedded]], [[Application software|desktop]], and [[web programming]], as [[target language]]s, and for research purposes.
==See also==
* [[Function-level programming]]
* [[Homoiconicity]]▼
* [[Stack-oriented programming language]]
* [[Tacit programming]]
▲* [[Homoiconicity]]
==References==
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==External links==
* [http://www.concatenative.org/
▲{{Programming paradigms navbox}}
{{Types of programming languages}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Concatenative Programming Language}}
[[Category:Concatenative programming languages| ]]
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