What is APL written in?
The APL runtime is written in C.
APL is a functional, symbolic programming language for operating on multidimensional arrays, first released in 1966.
Implementation
| Layer | Written in | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime | C (since 1973) | Dyalog APL runtime written in C |
Runtime model
The APL runtime, written in C, manages the execution of APL programs. Runtime-based languages rely on a host process to interpret or compile code at runtime rather than compiling entirely ahead-of-time to native machine code. This means running APL programs requires the runtime to be present on the target system.
The choice of C for the runtime gives APL access to native performance, established platform abstractions, and existing ecosystem libraries.
Explore in the Graph
See APL's full lineage, including all implementation and influence relationships, in the interactive graph.
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