

Note on Syntax - fogus
http://olabini.com/blog/2012/02/notes-on-syntax/

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75c84fb8
I'm not an expert on programming language design, so I was hoping someone can
help me understand. When people talk about syntax, do they mean how bits of
text are strung together to make programs; kind of from a down-and-dirty,
implementation-level POV? As opposed to the more high-level thinking of the
kinds of things you can get done in the language?

So for example, assignment of a value to a variable is a high-level "thing you
get done" in a language, which isn't syntax, whereas using := versus = for
assignment is a matter of syntax? Do I have the right idea?

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jayferd
++

Syntax is extremely important for scripting languages, especially those you
expect to use with a REPL. Programmers tend to choose languages that (a) are
good enough for the job, and (b) are pleasant to use.

