Why Scriptol was created
As it is summarized by the 7 rules, the language wants help translating more easily ideas in code.
Which improvements come with Scriptol?
- Scriptol adds the advantages of a compiler to the portability of the PHP or JavaScript interpreter: a compiler performs all checks for errors
in a single pass and thus permits to correct them quickly all together,
and the generated PHP code, as a bytecode, runs on any computer.
- Faster programming and protect your code: use the
interpreter to write and debug a program, then distribute a binary
executable for Windows or Unix (no need for the user to download an
interpreter).
- Scriptol has features available only in other modern programming
languages:
- the for .. in (foreach) construct,
- multiple assignments,
- associative lists,
- range subscripting.
It has also new control structures, new data structures, and a simple syntax that allows you to express naturally your thought. - Scriptol is the first language to define XML document in source and use them as data-structures.
- Scriptol use standard APIs, of C++, PHP, JavaScript not proper ones as any interpreted scripting language: the experience you have gained when using them may serve you with other programming environments.
Who needs for Scriptol?
- Any programmer who have to write scripts and applications, Scriptol helps to concentrate on the problem and program faster.
- Building WebAssembly apps, thus for any platform.
- ASP programmers who want to move under a Unix server, but are repelled by the PHP syntax.
- For prototyping: once your program is achieved, you can include the generated code into a larger project.
- For web services building.
What's unique in Scriptol?
- Scriptol code is compiled in JavaScript, PHP or C++ and thus is more
portable.
- New powerful control stuctures:
composite if,
do..case..while,
while..let.
- It has a simplified compound assignment: a + x rather than
a += x or a = a + x.
- Blocks of statements are xml-like.
- Semi-colons are optional as splitted lines are automatically recognized by the compiler.
- It is possible to insert XML code and process it like an associative array (it is converted to a tree in the target language).
Why Scriptol to write JavaScript programs?
- Classes and inheritance become simple.
- Most drawbacks of JS are removed through a library.
- Programming becomes easier and faster. The risk of bugs is reduced.
- An extended set of functions on associative arrays.
- To describe a complex object in XML is much more readable than in JSON and you can save it as a JSON file.
- The same code may run at command line or in a browser.
Why Scriptol as front-end to PHP?
- Scriptol has a simple and clear syntax. No risk to omit a dollar or semi-colon.
- Scriptol has typed variables, that allows for controls at compile time, rather than repetitive debugging at runtime.
- No need to declare "global".