Joy (programming language): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:55, 26 February 2020

Revision as of 18:01, 11 May 2020

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Joy is unusual (except for [[function-level programming]] languages and some esoteric ones, such as [[unlambda]]) in its lack of a [[lambda calculus|lambda]] operator, and therefore lack of [[Parameter (computer science)|formal parameters]]. To illustrate this with a common example, here is how the square function might be defined in an [[imperative programming language]] ([[C (programming language)|C]]):

<sourcesyntaxhighlight lang="C">

int square(int x)

{

return x * x;

}

</syntaxhighlight>

</source>

The variable x is a formal parameter which is replaced by the actual value to be squared when the function is called. In a [[functional programming|functional]] language ([[Scheme (programming language)|Scheme]]) the same function could be defined:

<sourcesyntaxhighlight lang="scheme">

(define square

(lambda (x)

(* x x)))

</syntaxhighlight>

</source>

This is different in many ways, but it still uses the formal parameter x in the same way. In Joy the square function is defined: