what is the difference between Scripting language and Normal Languages ?
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what is the difference between Scripting language and Normal Languages ?
Hi..I was just wondering that what is difference between say a scripting language like PERL and a common language like C ?
we can directly run PERL and Python programs without compiling,is this so ?
And WHy Python is considered as a Scripting language when it is a complete high level OOP language ?
well perl bash etc runs using a interpreter - using a interpreter would mean more portability however would be slow. Also scripting languages are designed more for ease of use than speed.
C/C++ dont have a interpretor and hence require compiling.
There are adv/disadv to both these approaches (SEE any Systems programming text book)
Dont ask me if basic is a scripting language since it has a interpreter
Actually, your perl script is compiled (sort of) on the fly by the Perl program, and this new version is the one which is run, resulting in quick (say 85%) of speed of eg an exe compiled from 'C'.
To put it another way, a 'C' src file is compiled+linked into a standalone exe.
A perl script is actually executed by the Perl exe.
See also a SQL script vs the SQL program.
Re: what is the difference between Scripting language and Normal Languages ?
This is what I consider to be the most important differences:
A) In a scripting language you don't need to set up lots of stuff (boilerplate code / definitions etc...) to produce a working program. This can be a real productivity booster for a programmer, but this comes at the price of weaker compile-time error detection (for technical errors) and less info for the compiler to optimize the produced (byte) code.
B) Scripting languages have built-in higher-level functionality for comfy development. Like complex data-types (Python dictionaries & lists / PHP arrays), garbage collection, boundary checking of variables, built in regular expressions etc...
Especially the built in high level data-types provide for very rapid development if you get to know them intimately.
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