ABC has only five data types that can easily be combined; strong typing[?], yet without declarations; data limited only by memory[?]; refinements to support top-down programming; nesting by indentation[?]. Programs are typically around a quarter the size of the equivalent Pascal or C program, and more readable.
ABC includes a programming environment with syntax-directed editing[?], suggestions, persistent variables[?] and multiple workspaces and infinite precision arithmetic[?].
An example function words to collect the set of all words in a document:
HOW TO RETURN words document: PUT {} IN collection FOR line in document: FOR word IN split line: IF word not.in collection: INSERT word IN collection RETURN collection
Interpreter/compiler, version 1.05.02, by Leo Geurts[?], Lambert Meertens[?], Steven Pemberton[?] <Steven.Pemberton@cwi.nl>. ABC has been ported to Unix, MS-DOS, Atari, Macintosh.
ABC was one of the influences in the design of the Python programming language.
See also Programming
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