README.md

gamma

A functional programming language with an interpreter written in kotlin.

Introduction

gamma-library is a parser and interpreter for the gamma programming language. It is a functional programming language that borrows heavily from two sources:

• Lisp – for the idea of the evaluation loop and the basic inner workings
• ML – for the idea for the syntax of the language

The idea is to create a language that combines the simplicity of the inner workings of Lisp with the easy to write and read syntax of ML-based languages.

Learn gamma

See: Learn to program in gamma

Usage

You can link this library to your project and use it to include a scripting language in your software.

To use gamma-library simply call these functions with your gamma-Sourcecode in the variable code

        val scope = ModuleScope()

        val parser = Parser(code)
        var expr = parser.nextExpression()

        while (expr != null) {
            val result = expr.evaluate(scope)
            if (result !is Expression && result !is AbstractFunction) // these lines only if you want to display the result
                println("-> ${result.prettyPrint()}")                 // these lines only if you want to display the result

            expr = parser.nextExpression()
        }

The parser takes the code as a parameter. If your code is read from a file, supply the filename as a second parameter for better error messages in case of exceptions: Parser(code, filename).

The function nextExpression() returns the next parsed expression in for of a valid gamma datatype, ornullif theParser has reached the end of the sourcecode.

The returned expression can now be evaluated within a scope.

add your own functions

If you want to enhance the functionality of gamma with your own functions, you have to add them to the scope before executing the first expression

    scope.bind(name, functionImplementation)

write your own function implementation

TBD