Programming language reference: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 16:41, 12 September 2021

In computing, a programming language reference or language reference manual is part of the documentation associated with most mainstream programming languages. It is written for users and developers, and describes the basic elements of the language and how to use them in a program. For a command-based language, for example, this will include details of every available command and of the syntax for using it.

The reference manual is usually separate and distinct from a more detailed programming language specification meant for implementors of the language rather than those who simply use it to accomplish some processing task.

There may also be a separate introductory guide aimed at giving newcomers enough information to start writing programs, after which they can consult the reference manual for full details. Frequently, however, a single publication contains both the introductory guide and the language reference.

External links

Ada 2005 Language Reference Manual (at adaic.com)
The Python Language Reference (at python.org)
The Python Language Reference Manual ^{[dead link]} by Guido van Rossum and Fred L. Drake, Jr. (ISBN 0-9541617-8-5) (at network-theory.co.uk)

References

This programming-language-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Short description|Documentation for programmers}}[[File:Fortran_acs_cover.jpeg|thumb|upright|The ''Fortran Automatic Coding System for the [[IBM 704]]'' (15 October 1956), the first Programmer's Reference Manual for Fortran]]
-In [[computing]], a '''programming language reference''' (or '''language reference manual''') is part of the [[documentation]] associated with most mainstream [[programming language]]s. It describes the basic elements<!-- could be misconstrued as meaning just the main ideas --> of the language and how to use them in [[computer program]]s, and is written for [[user (computing)|user]]s and [[programmer|developer]]s. For a command-based language, for example, it will among other things explain what every available command does, and give the [[syntax (programming languages)| syntax]] for its use.
+In [[computing]], a '''programming language reference''' or '''language reference manual''' is part of the [[documentation]] associated with most mainstream [[programming language]]s. It is written for [[user (computing)|user]]s and [[programmer|developer]]s, and describes the basic elements<!-- could be misconstrued as meaning just the main ideas --> of the language and how to use them in a [[computer program|program]]. For a command-based language, for example, this will include details of every available command and of the [[syntax (programming languages)|syntax]] for using it.
 The reference manual is usually separate and distinct from a more detailed [[programming language specification]] meant for [[Programming language implementation|implementor]]s of the language rather than those who simply use it to accomplish some processing task.
-There may also be a separate introductory guide aimed at giving newcomers enough information to start writing programs, after which they can consult the reference manual for full details.
+There may also be a separate introductory guide aimed at giving newcomers enough information to start writing programs, after which they can consult the reference manual for full details. Frequently, however, a single publication contains both the introductory guide and the language reference.
 ==External links==