[antlr-interest] Java Grammar and how to use it to create a script language to my app
Randall R Schulz
rschulz at sonic.net
Thu Oct 30 20:03:50 PDT 2008
On Thursday 30 October 2008 18:25, me tk82c wrote:
> Hello Everybody!
>
> I'm trying to create a new language to allow my users to write small
> scripts in our web app.
>
> There is any short way to do that? Something like, download the
> existent java grammar from ANTLR and implement the specific functions
> that users will use in my app with this "Java" version.
I don't think Java is a good model or pattern for an extension or
application scripting language.
I am personally fond of Lisp and the general use of S-Expressions for
programming languages of all stripes, but many people feel such
languages cumbersome.
You'd probably be best advised to craft a language specific to the
system it will control or drive and which will seem natural to its
users.
ANTLR will help you detect and either eliminate or accommodate any
abiguities in the grammar you devise, which is one of its many virtues.
And if Java really _is_ a good language for your purposes, then perhaps
BeanShell would be appropriate. You should probably also consider,
JavaScript or another JSR-223-compliant language before starting out
from scratch inventing a scripting language.
Lastly, there are several dynamic languages that integrate well with
Java and which can serve as scripting languages for programs written in
Java. They include (but are by no means limited to) Groovy, Scala and
Clojure.
In short, don't invent something you don't need and don't use a language
that is too low-level (by which I mean Java itself) for your intended
requirements and audience.
> Please, help!
>
> tk
Randall Schulz
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