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Old 03-14-2005, 09:05 AM   #1
indian
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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 ?

THanks
 
Old 03-14-2005, 09:10 AM   #2
Technoslave
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My take on it is that perl and bash and the like are scripting languages that don't require compiling.

C, C++, Pascal et. al. require compiling to run, thus not scripting languages.

*shrug* just a quick 2 cents.
 
Old 03-14-2005, 09:35 AM   #3
zeropash
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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

Last edited by zeropash; 03-14-2005 at 09:38 AM.
 
Old 03-14-2005, 10:38 AM   #4
reddazz
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Python is an intepreted language because you need the interpreter to run python scripts
 
Old 03-14-2005, 09:21 PM   #5
chrism01
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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.
 
Old 03-15-2005, 03:10 PM   #6
Luxel
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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.

Luxel
 
  


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