Red (programming language): Difference between revisions

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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>