Array Programming

Array Programming

In computer science, array programming languages (also known as vector or multidimensional languages) generalize operations on scalars to apply transparently to vectors, matrices, and higher dimensional arrays.

Array programming primitives concisely express broad ideas about data manipulation. The level of conciseness can be dramatic in certain cases: it is not uncommon to find array programming language one-liners that require more than a couple of pages of Java code.

APL, designed by Ken Iverson, was the first programming language to provide array programming capabilities. The mnemonic APL refers to the title of his seminal book "A Programming Language" and not to arrays per se. Iverson's contribution to rigor and clarity was probably more important than the simple extension of dimensions to functions.

Read more about Array Programming:  Concepts, Uses, Languages, Mathematical Reasoning and Language Notation, Third Party Libraries

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