Red (programming language): Difference between revisions

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| designer = Nenad Rakočević<ref>{{cite web |title=Creator of Red |website=[[GitHub]] |url=https://github.com/dockimbel}}</ref>

| developer = Nenad Rakočević

| latest release date =FebruaryMarch 19, 20242025

| typing =

| implementations =

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| logo_alt = Red Logo (stylized Tower of Hanoi)

| year = 2011

| latest_release_version = 0.6.56<ref>{{cite web |title=Red's changelogimprovements |url=https://www.red-lang.org/20242025/0203/065066-changelogmemory-management-improvements.html|website=red-lang|access-date=FebruaryApril 211, 20242025}}</ref> ([[Beta software|Beta]])

| influenced_by = [[Rebol]], [[Lisp (programming language)|Lisp]], [[Scala (programming language)|Scala]], [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]]

| operating_system = [[Linux]], [[Windows]], [[OS X]]

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}}

'''Red''' is a [[programming language]] designed to overcome the limitations of the programming language [[Rebol]].<ref name="GS">{{cite web |title=Getting Started with GUI Programming using Red Language |url=https://www.studytonight.com/post/getting-started-with-gui-programming-using-red-programming-language |website=Studytonight |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref> Red was introduced in 2011 by Nenad Rakočević,{{Sfn|Balbaert|2018}} and is both an [[imperative programming|imperative]] and [[functional programming]] language. Its syntax and general usage overlaps that of the interpreted Rebol language.<ref>{{cite web |title=Interview with Nenad Rakocevic about Red, a Rebol inspired programming language |url=https://www.notamonadtutorial.com/interview-with-nenad-rakocevic-about-red-a-rebol-inspired-programming-language/ |website=Not a Monad Tutorial |date=28 August 2015 | access-date=August 28, 2015 |archive-date=23 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323034804/https://www.notamonadtutorial.com/interview-with-nenad-rakocevic-about-red-a-rebol-inspired-programming-language/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The implementation choices of Red intend to create a [[Solution stack|full stack]] programming language:{{Sfn|Balbaert|2018}}<ref name="MUO">{{cite web |title=6 Unusual & Groundbreaking Programming Languages to Learn in 2023|url=https://www.makeuseof.com/programming-languages-to-learn-in-2023/ |website=makeuseof.com |date=18 October 2023}}</ref> Red can be used for extremely high-level programming ([[Domain-specific language|DSL]]s and [[Graphical user interface|GUI]]s) as well as low-level programming ([[operating system]]s and [[device driver]]s). Key to the approach is that the language has two parts: ''Red/System'' and ''Red''.<ref name="developpez">{{cite news |last1=Lucas |first1=Mathis |title=Red: an imperative and functional programming language that is also a "full battery" language|url=https://programmation.developpez.com/actu/346670/Red-un-langage-de-programmation-imperatif-et-fonctionnel-et-decrit-comme-un-langage-a-pile-complete-c-est-a-dire-qu-il-peut-etre-utilise-pour-la-programmation-de-haut-niveau-et-de-bas-niveau/ |newspaper=Developpez.com |date=21 July 2023 |access-date=16 January 2023}}</ref>

* ''Red/System'' is similar to C, but packaged into a Rebol lexical structure{{snd}} for example, one would write {{Smalltalk|if x > y [print "Hello"]}} instead of {{C-lang|if (x > y) {printf("Hello\n");} }}.

* ''Red'' is a [[homoiconicity|homoiconic language]], which is capable of [[meta-programming]] with Rebol-like semantics.<ref name="GS">{{cite web |title=Getting Started with GUI Programming using Red Language |url=https://www.studytonight.com/post/getting-started-with-gui-programming-using-red-programming-language |website=Studytonight |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Softpedia">{{cite web |last=Sasu |first=Alexandru |title=Review of Red|url=https://www.softpedia.com/get/Programming/Coding-languages-Compilers/Red-Programming-Language.shtml|website=Softpedia|date=22 November 2018|access-date=February 21, 2024}}</ref> Red's runtime library is written in Red/System, and uses a hybrid approach: it [[compiled language|compiles]] what it can deduce statically and uses an embedded [[interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] otherwise. The project roadmap includes a [[just-in-time compilation|just-in-time compiler]] for cases in between, but this has not yet been implemented.

Red seeks to remain independent of any other [[toolchain]]; it does its own code generation.<ref name="GS">{{cite web |title=Getting Started with GUI Programming using Red Language |url=https://www.studytonight.com/post/getting-started-with-gui-programming-using-red-programming-language |website=Studytonight |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref> It is therefore possible to [[cross compiler|cross-compile]]<ref name="MUO">{{cite web |title=6 Unusual & Groundbreaking Programming Languages to Learn in 2023|url=https://www.makeuseof.com/programming-languages-to-learn-in-2023/ |website=makeuseof.com |date=18 October 2023}}</ref> Red programs from any platform it supports to any other, via a command-line switch. Both Red and Red/System are distributed as [[open-source software]] under the [[modified BSD license]]. The runtime library is distributed under the more permissive [[Boost Software License]].

As of version 0.6.4 Red includes a [[garbage collection (computer science)|garbage collector]] "the Simple GC".<ref name=GC>{{Cite web|url=https://www.red-lang.org/2018/12/064-simple-gc-and-pure-red-gui-console.html|title=0.6.4 Simple GC and Pure Red GUI Console|quote=The main feature for 0.6.4 is what we call the Simple GC (Garbage Collector). A more advanced GC is planned for the future |author=lucindamichele|access-date=2018-12-16}}</ref>

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==Features==

Red's syntax and semantics are very close to those of [[Rebol]].{{Sfn|Balbaert|2018}}<ref>{{cite web |title=The Dynamic Mapping Architecture |url=https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=toledo1639760375713532&disposition=inline |website=OhioLINK |date=December 2021}}</ref> Like Rebol, it strongly supports [[metaprogramming]] and ___domain-specific languages ([[___domain-specific language|DSLs]]) and is therefore a highly efficient tool for dialecting (creating embedded DSLs). Red includes a dialect called Red/System, a C-level language which provides system programming facilities.<ref name="developpez">< /ref> Red is easy to integrate with other tools and languages as a DLL (libRed) and very lightweight (around 1&nbsp;MB). It is also able to cross-compile to various platforms (see Cross Compilation section below) and create packages for platforms that require them (e.g., .APK on Android).<ref name="developpez">< /ref> Red also includes a fully reactive cross-platform GUI system based on an underlying reactive dataflow engine, a 2D drawing dialect comparable to SVG, compile-time and runtime macro support, and more than 40 standard datatypes.

==Goals==

The following is the list of Red's Goals as presented on the [[Software Freedom Day]] 2011:<ref name="Red SFD 2011">< /ref><ref name="YT SFD 2011">< /ref>

* Simplicity ("An IDE should not be necessary to write code.")

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[[Category:Cross-platform software]]

[[Category:Free and open source compilers]]

[[Category:Free and open source interpreters]]

[[Category:Software using the BSD license]]