Dynamic programming language: Difference between revisions

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A '''dynamic programming language''' is a type of programming language whichthat allows various operations to be determined and executed at runtime. This is different from the compilation phase. Key decisions about variables, method calls, or data types are made when the program is running, unlike in [[Static program analysis|static languages]], where the structure and types are fixed during compilation. Dynamic languages provide flexibility. This allows developers to write more adaptable and concise code.

For instance, in a dynamic language, a variable can start as an integer. It can later be reassigned to hold a string without explicit type declarations. This feature of dynamic typing enables more fluid and less restrictive coding. Developers can focus on the logic and functionality rather than the constraints of the language.

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===Eval===

Some dynamic languages offer an ''[[eval]]'' function. This function takes a string or [[abstract syntax tree]] containing code in the language and executes it. If this code stands for an expression, the resulting value is returned. [[Erik Meijer (computer scientist)|Erik Meijer]] and Peter Drayton distinguish the [[runtime code generation]] offered by eval from the [[dynamic loading]] offered by [[shared libraries]], and warn that in many cases eval is used merely to implement [[higher-order function]]s (by passing functions as strings) or [[deserialization]].<ref>{{Citation | citeseerx = 10.1.1.69.5966 | title=Static Typing Where Possible, Dynamic Typing When Needed: The End of the Cold War Between Programming Languages | author=[[Erik Meijer (computer scientist)|Meijer, Erik]] and Peter Drayton | year=2005 | publisher=[[Microsoft]] Corporation|url=https://people.dsv.su.se/~beatrice/DYPL/meijer_drayton.pdf}}</ref>

===Object runtime alteration===