Programming language · 2003

Factor

Programming language.

Official site ›
C++Written in
2003First released
Slava PestovDeveloper
dynamicTyping
BSD licensesLicense
Built from FFactor C++ForthLisp
RuntimeInfluence

What is Factor written in?

Its runtime is implemented in C++ (documented). Factor is self-hosting.

Quick Facts

Designed by
Slava Pestov
First released
2003
Typing
dynamic
License
BSD licenses
Website
factorcode.org

About Factor

Factor is a programming language. It is a dynamically typed and garbage-collected language that compiles ahead of time to native machine code. It supports concurrent, functional, object-oriented, and declarative programming.

Factor first appeared in 2003 and was designed by Slava Pestov. Factor is now used mainly in specialized niches and by dedicated communities.

How Factor is implemented

In the Language Lineage dataset, Factor is self-hosting, so its own compiler is written in Factor itself and its runtime is implemented in C++. Reaching self-hosting, where a language is mature enough to compile itself, is a milestone that proves the language can handle a large, real-world program.

Factor in the language family tree

Factor drew on ideas from Forth and Lisp.

Sources: Wikipedia · Wikidata · Official site

Frequently Asked Questions

What language is Factor written in?
Factor is primarily implemented in C++. See the implementation section above for details and source references.
What languages influenced Factor?
Factor was influenced by Forth, Lisp among others. See the influence section above for the full list.
Is Factor self-hosting?
Yes, Factor is self-hosting, its compiler can compile itself.
When was Factor first released?
Factor was first released in 2003. It was designed by Slava Pestov.

Evidence Sources

Discover More

What is Factor written in? What are programming languages written in? Factor in the language family tree Interactive programming language graph Is Factor self-hosting? Compiler bootstrapping explained Languages that influenced Factor: Forth Languages that influenced Factor: Lisp

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Paste this iframe into any HTML page to show the Factor relationship graph.

<iframe src="https://www.languagelineage.org/embed?lang=factor" width="100%" height="500" loading="lazy" style="border:0" title="Factor relationship graph"></iframe>

Please attribute the visualization to Language Lineage and link to the Factor source record.

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