Basically, all scripting languages are programming languages. The theoretical difference between the two is that scripting languages do not require the compilation step and are rather interpreted. For example, normally, a C program needs to be compiled before running whereas normally, a scripting language like JavaScript or PHP need not be compiled.
Another point to be noted is that while classifying a language as scripting language or programming language, the environment on which it would execute must be taken into consideration. The reason why this is important is that we can design an interpreter for C language and use it as a scripting language, and at the same time, we can design a compiler for JavaScript and use it as a non-scripting(compiled language). A live example of this is V8, the JavaScript engine of Google Chrome, which compiles the JavaScript code into machine code, rather than interpreting it.
Difference Between A Programming Language And A Scripting Language
Many people often do not know the differences between scripting languages and programming languages and use the terms interchangeably. They might sound similar but are quite different from each other. Everyone who wants to set foot in the world of software development must know the differences between scripting languages and programming languages. Recent developments in the world of programming have, however, blurred the line of distinction between them.
Both languages are used for software development. All scripting languages can be used as programming languages but vice versa is not true. The basic difference between them is that scripting languages are not compiled, they are interpreted. Before the advent of scripting languages, programming languages were used to develop software like Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, Internet Explorer, etc. However, there arose a need for languages to incorporate additional functionalities, hence the need for scripting languages. Let us now understand scripting language and programming languages in detail, and then we will look at some differences between them.
A scripting language is a programming language designed specifically for runtime environments. It automates the execution of tasks. They are used in system administration, web development, games, and creating plugins and extensions. These languages are interpreted languages (An Interpreter executes instructions written in a programming or scripting language directly, without requiring them previously to have been compiled into a machine language program), and they bring new functionalities to the applications. These languages are usually short and snappy and are interpreted from the source or byte code. Mostly, scripting languages are open-sourced languages and are supported by almost every platform, which means that no special kind of software is required to run them, as they are a set of commands run without the use of a compiler.Depending on your aim and circumstances, using a scripting language is better. There are two main types of scripting languages-
No, scripting languages and programming languages are not the same. Programming languages were created to make complex software, whereas scripting languages were created to assist programming languages. Programming languages are compiled whereas scripting languages are interpreted. We shall have a look at some differences between programming languages and scripting languages in the next section.
We thus conclude that the execution process and environment are the fundamental differences between programming languages and scripting languages. Scripting languages can alternatively be described as extensions to existing programs (written in a programming language). The majority of programs and software are written in programming languages, although functionality is defined using scripting languages. While programming languages are used to develop programs and software from scratch, scripting languages are used to incorporate additional functionalities into the program. The growing demands for dynamic web pages and apps have further intensified the demand for scripting languages, and the need for traditional programming structures to build complex software products is never going to cede. Scripting languages are beautiful structures that stand on the base that programming languages are. Both languages have their own set of pros and cons and are meant to complement each other.
Can anyone explain the difference between Scripting Language and Programming Language please?Also can you state some examples for each. I have Googled a lot but I always find the best answers from Stack Overflow.
For example, in the normal case, you have to compile a C program before you can run it. But in the normal case, you don't have to compile a JavaScript program before you run it. So JavaScript is sometimes called a "scripting" language.
Also note that whether a language is a "scripting" language or not can be more about the environment than the language. There's no reason you can't write a C interpreter and use it as a scripting language (and people have). There's also no reason you can't compile JavaScript to machine code and store that in an executable file (and people have). The language Ruby is a good example of this: The original implementation was entirely interpreted (a "scripting" language), but there are now multiple compilers for it.
Initially, there were programming languages that was written to build programs like excel, word, browsers, games and etc. These programs were built with languages like c and java. Overtime, these programs needed a way for users to create new functionality, so they had to provide an interface to their bytecode and hence scripting languages were born.
A scripting language usually isnt compiled so can run as soon as you write something meaningful. Hence excel may be built using C++ but it exposes a scripting language called VBA for users to define functionality. Similarly browsers may be built with C++/Java but they expose a scripting language called javascript (not related to java in any way). Games, are usually built with C++ but expose a language called Lua for users to define custom functionality.
A scripting language usually sits behind some programming language. Scripting languages usually have less access to the computers native abilities since they run on a subset of the original programming language. An example here is that Javascript will not be able to access your file system. Scripting languages are usually slower than programming languages.
Although scripting languages may have less access and are slower, they can be very powerful tools. One factor attributing to a scripting languages success is the ease of updating. Do you remember the days of java applets on the web, this is an example of running a programming language (java) vs running a scripting language (javascript). At the time, computers were not as powerful and javascript wasn't as mature so Java applets dominated the scenes. But Java applets were annoying, they required the user to sort of load and compile the language. Fast forward to today, Java applets are almost extinct and Javascript dominates the scene. Javascript is extremely fast to load since most of the browser components have been installed already.
The differences are becoming fewer and less important. Traditionally, scripting languages extend existing programs... I think that's the main definition of "scripting" is that it refers to writing a set of instructions for an existing entity to perform. However, where scripting languages started with proprietary and colloquial syntax, most of the prevalent ones these days owe some relationship to C.
Scripting Language : Is unstructure subset of programming language. It is generally interpreted. it basically "scripts" other things to do stuff. The primary focus isn't primarily building your own apps but getting an existing app to act the way you want, e.g. JavaScript for browsers, TCL etc.,
*** But there are situation where a programming language is converted to interpreter and vice-verse like use have a C interpreter where you can 'C' Script. Scripts are generally written to control an application behaviour where as Programming Language is use to build applications. But beware that the demarcation is blurring day - by - day as an example of Python it depends on how one uses the language.
A scripting language is used to write code that is going to target a software system. It's going to automate operations on that software system. The script is going to be a sequence of instructions to the target software system.
It gets more confusing since scripting languages have evolved to become very powerful. So they are not limited to create small scripts to automate operations on another software system, you can create any rich applications with them.
Python code targets an interpreter so we can say that it "scripts" operations on that interpreter. But when you write Python code you don't see it as scripting an interpreter, you see it as creating an application. The interpreter is just there to code at a higher level among other things. So for me Python is more a programming language than an scripting language.
Back when the world was young and in the PC world you chose from .exe or .bat, the delineation was simple. Unix systems have always had shell scripts (/bin/sh, /bin/csh, /bin/ksh, etc) and Compiled languages (C/C++/Fortran).
To differentiate roles and responsibilities, the compiled languages (often referred to as 3rd Generation Languages) were seen a 'programming' languages and 'scripting' languages were seen as those that invoked an interpreter (often referred to as 4th Generation Languages). Scripting languages were often used as 'glue' to connect between multiple commands/compiled programs so that the user didn't have to worry about a set of steps in order to carry out their task - they developed a single file, that delineated what steps they wanted to accomplish, and this became a 'script' for anyone to follow. 2ff7e9595c
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