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|{{quote | "I have long been struck by the contrast between the success with which the adventurous learn APL by simply using it, and the frequent failure of lecture courses to communicate the simplicity and applicability of the language."|[[Ken Iverson]]. ''A Working Introduction to APL'', 1981.}}
|{{quote | "I have long been struck by the contrast between the success with which the adventurous learn APL by simply using it, and the frequent failure of lecture courses to communicate the simplicity and applicability of the language."|[[Ken Iverson]]. ''A Working Introduction to APL'', 1981.}}
|}
|}
To facilitate self-study, the resources here are classified by target audience. However, if you get stuck, don't hesitate to request help in the [[APL Orchard]] chat room or [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/ask?tags=apl ask a question on Stack Exchange].
To facilitate self-study, the resources here are classified by target audience. However, if you get stuck, don't hesitate to request help in one of the many [[chat rooms and forums]] or [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/ask?tags=apl ask a question on Stack Exchange].
 
It may be beneficial to learn the APL [[terminology]].


== For non-programmers ==
== For non-programmers ==


Some of the best resources for somebody new to APL and programming in general are:
Some of the best resources for somebody new to APL and programming in general are:
<div style="column-width:40em">
'''Interactive'''
* The [https://tryapl.org?tab=3 Learn tab on TryAPL]
* The [https://tutorial.dyalog.com Zark APL Tutor]
* The [[APL Challenge]]
'''Books'''
* [[Mastering Dyalog APL]] by Bernard Legrand
* [https://archive.org/details/apl-2-at-a-glance-brown-pakin-polivka/ APL2 at a Glance] by [[Jim Brown]], Sandra Pakin, and [[Ray Polivka]] (also [https://www.blitter.com/nextcloud/index.php/s/8cj5JMAxsrCc4Wd#pdfviewer in German])
* [http://www.microapl.com/apl/learn_apl.html Learning APL with APLX] (also [https://www.microapl.com/apl/LearningAPLwithAPLX.pdf as PDF])
* [https://romilly.github.io/o-x-o/an-introduction.html MENACE in APL] (early [[wikipedia:reinforcement learning|reinforcement learning]] project)
* [http://robertson.uk.net/Files/APL1+2.pdf A Practical Introduction to APL 1 & 2] (3 & 4 is [[#For novice APLers|for experts]])
'''Text'''
* APL Wiki's [[simple examples]]
* APL Wiki's [[simple examples]]
* The [https://tryapl.org/?tab=3 Learn tab on TryAPL]
* The book [https://www.dyalog.com/mastering-dyalog-apl.htm Mastering Dyalog APL] by Bernard Legrand
* [http://www.microapl.com/apl/learn_apl.html Learning APL with APLX] (also [http://www.microapl.com/apl/LearningAPLwithAPLX.pdf as PDF])
* The [https://tutorial.dyalog.com Zark APL Tutor]
* APL a Day: [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-0-introduction/ Introduction], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-1-functions/ Functions], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-2-arrays-values/ Arrays, Values], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-3-arrays-have-shape/ Arrays have Shape]
* APL a Day: [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-0-introduction/ Introduction], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-1-functions/ Functions], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-2-arrays-values/ Arrays, Values], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-3-arrays-have-shape/ Arrays have Shape]
* [http://robertson.uk.net/Files/APL1&2.pdf A Practical Introduction to APL 1 & 2] (3 & 4 is [[#For novice APLers|for experts]])
* [https://old.aplwiki.com/LearnApl/TutorialContents The tutorial from the old APL Wiki]
* Découvrez le langage APL : [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxq1BUUXobM part 1], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-E7BsMg_Qc part 2], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csx2Z-GEGPw part 3] by Eric Schrafstetter (in French)
'''Video series'''
* [[APL_Quest#Problems_from_2016|APL Quest 2016]] by [[Adám Brudzewsky]]
* Découvrez le langage APL: parts [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxq1BUUXobM 1], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-E7BsMg_Qc 2], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csx2Z-GEGPw 3] by Eric Schrafstetter (in French)
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgTqamKi1MS3p-O0QAgjv5vt4NY5OgpiM Learn APL with neural networks]
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1955671BD6E21548 APLtrainer tutorials]
</div>
Follow one or a couple of these tutorials through and play around a bit. To learn APL the advice is similar to that for learning other languages: have a goal (something you want to accomplish) and try to do it. Along the way you are sure to come across the pitfalls and gotchas of the language, and with time you may come to understand what APL thinking means.
Follow one or a couple of these tutorials through and play around a bit. To learn APL the advice is similar to that for learning other languages: have a goal (something you want to accomplish) and try to do it. Along the way you are sure to come across the pitfalls and gotchas of the language, and with time you may come to understand what APL thinking means.


== For non-APL programmers ==
== For programmers unfamiliar with APL ==


This is a list of tutorials and other resources of interest to someone who knows about programming or is familiar with another programming language, but wants to learn more about APL.
This is a list of tutorials and other resources of interest to someone who knows about programming or is familiar with another programming language, but wants to learn more about APL. See also APL Wiki's lists of [[advanced examples]], [[books]], and [[papers]]. [https://github.com/vendethiel/trying.apl "Trying APL"] has examples for all primitives.
<div style="column-width:20em">
<div style="column-width:40em">
* APL Wiki's [[advanced examples]]
'''Interactive'''
* APL Wiki's [[Books]]
* APL Wiki's [[Papers]]
* [[APL Cultivation]] (chat lessons)
* [https://tryapl.org TryAPL online interpreter with lessons]
* [https://tryapl.org TryAPL online interpreter with lessons]
* [https://tutorial.dyalog.com/ Zark tutorial]
* [https://wordsandbuttons.online/apl_deserves_its_renaissance_too.html APL deserves its renaissance too] (on [[John Scholes' Conway's Game of Life]])
* The [[APL Challenge]]
'''Text courses'''
* [https://course.dyalog.com APL Course] (Dyalog)
* [https://github.com/nooodl/learnxinyminutes-docs/blob/master/apl.apl Learn X in Y minutes]
* [https://github.com/nooodl/learnxinyminutes-docs/blob/master/apl.apl Learn X in Y minutes]
* [https://codeburst.io/lets-learn-a-programming-language-5f374e4abae5 Let's Learn A Programming Language]
* Let’s Learn A Programming Language, [https://codeburst.io/lets-learn-a-programming-language-5f374e4abae5 part 1], [https://medium.com/codeburst/lets-learn-a-programming-language-part-2-ce1bd79aef1b part 2], and [https://codeburst.io/fizzbuzz-in-apl-a193d1954b4b FizzBuzz]
* [https://www.dyalog.com/mastering-dyalog-apl.htm Mastering Dyalog APL] and its companion [https://github.com/mhaupt/mastering_dyalog_apl GitHub repository]
* [https://tutorial.dyalog.com/ Zark tutorial]
* [https://github.com/vendethiel/trying.apl Trying APL]
* [https://github.com/annser/annser Artificial Neural Networks]
* [https://github.com/annser/annser Artificial Neural Networks]
* [https://codeburst.io/fizzbuzz-in-apl-a193d1954b4b FizzBuzz]
'''Video'''
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgTqamKi1MS3p-O0QAgjv5vt4NY5OgpiM Learn APL with neural networks] (series)
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UltnvW83_CQ An Introduction to APL]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGpR2ILao5M&list=PLfYUBJiXbdtSgU6S_3l6pX-4hQYKNJZFU fast.ai APL Study Group] (series) by Jeremy Howard
'''Books'''
* [[Mastering Dyalog APL]] by Bernard Legrand
* [[Learning APL]] by [[User:Xpqz|Stefan Kruger]]
* [http://mgeiss.de/apl_euler.pdf Getting started in APL by solving Project Euler problems 1 to 50] by Matthias Geiss
* [https://archive.org/details/apl-2-at-a-glance-brown-pakin-polivka/ APL2 at a Glance] by [[Jim Brown]], Sandra Pakin, [[Ray Polivka]] (also [https://www.blitter.com/nextcloud/index.php/s/8cj5JMAxsrCc4Wd#pdfviewer in German])
</div>
</div>
[[Category:Lists]]


== For novice APLers ==
== For novice APLers ==
 
Besides for APL Wiki's [[advanced examples]], you can hone your APL skill with these materials.
* [http://robertson.uk.net/Files/APL3&4.pdf A Practical Introduction to APL 3 & 4]
<div style="column-width:40em">
 
'''Books'''
If you already have a fair grasp of APL's [[primitive function]]s and [[primitive operator|operators]], you can sharpen your skills by challenging yourself with these:
* [[APL Cultivations]] by [[Adám Brudzewsky]] (edited by [[user:xpqz|Stefan Kruger]])
* [https://aplcart.info/quiz APLcart Quiz]: Be challenged to write a function for a given task or to explain what a given function does. (Based on [[APLcart]] data.)
* [https://www.blitter.com/nextcloud/index.php/s/2Wg3HNWHRiYb5K7#pdfviewer APL2 in Depth] by Norman Thomson and [[Ray Polivka]]
 
* [http://robertson.uk.net/Files/APL3+4.pdf A Practical Introduction to APL 3 & 4]
* APL Crosswords: [https://abrudz.github.io/crosswords/1/ 1] [https://abrudz.github.io/crosswords/4/ 4] [https://abrudz.github.io/crosswords/5/ 5] — Fill in expressions and snippets to fulfil all the clues.
'''Videos'''
 
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgTqamKi1MS3p-O0QAgjv5vt4NY5OgpiM Learn APL with neural networks] (series)
* [https://www.dyalog.com/2016-year-game.htm 2016 Year Game]: Find APL expressions involving exactly the digits 2 0 1 6 in that order to equal the numbers 0 to 100.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J0Au6AKGWw&list=PL5ZGZlm-yp_xQfzsBtD66HIMW1M97wCsE Triplets pythagoriciens] by OsKaR: A mathematical problem used as an introduction to the expressive power of APL (French series)
 
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WMqhoVc9bY Data Science Puzzle in APL] by yernab: analysis of scenarios from ''[[wiki:Dungeons & Dragons|Dungeons & Dragons]]''
* [https://www.dyalog.com/2017-code-golf-challenge.htm 2017 Code Golf Challenge]: Find the shortest possible APL expression that evaluates 1…52 without using any number or character literals.
</div>
 
<span id=exercises>'''Exercises'''</span>
* [https://www.dyalog.com/student-competition.htm Previous years' problems] from the [[APL Problem Solving Competition]].
* [[Code golf]]: Competition in which participants strive to achieve the shortest possible source code
 
* [https://open.kattis.com/ Kattis]: Very large collection of problems with automated checking of APL solutions
* [[APL-eusis]]: A game for honing your ability to "think in APL".
* APL Monday: Small APL reading exercises by [[Dyalog Ltd]] posted on [https://x.com/hashtag/APLMonday X/Twitter], [https://mastodon.social/tags/APLMonday Mastodon], [https://bsky.app/hashtag/APLMonday BlueSky], [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=aplmonday LinkedIn], [https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/aplmonday/ Instagram], and [https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/aplmonday Facebook]
 
* [https://www.jsoftware.com/papers/APL_exercises/ APL Exercises] by [[Roger Hui]]
== For old APLers ==
* [https://aplcart.info/quiz APLcart Quiz]: Be challenged to write a function for a given task or to explain what a given function does (based on [[APLcart]] data)
In the last decade, several implementations have extended APL:
* APL Crosswords: [https://abrudz.github.io/crosswords/1/ 1] [https://abrudz.github.io/crosswords/4/ 4] [https://abrudz.github.io/crosswords/5/ 5] — Fill in expressions and snippets to fulfil all the clues
 
* [https://www.dyalog.com/2016-year-game.htm 2016 Year Game]: Find APL expressions involving exactly the digits 2 0 1 6 in that order to equal the numbers 0 to 100
* New primitive functions: <source lang=apl inline>⊢</source> [[Identity|Same]], [[Right_identity|Right]]; <source lang=apl inline>⊣</source> [[Identity|Same]], [[Left_identity|Left]]; <source lang=apl inline>⌷</source> [[Materialise]], [[Squad indexing|Index]]; <source lang=apl inline>≡</source> [[Depth]], [[Match]]; <source lang=apl inline>≢</source> [[Tally]], [[Not Match]]; <source lang=apl inline>⍸</source> [[Where]], [[Interval Index]]; <source lang=apl inline>⊆</source> [[Nest]], [[Partition]]
* [https://www.dyalog.com/2017-code-golf-challenge.htm 2017 Code Golf Challenge]: Find the shortest possible APL expression that evaluates 1…52 without using any number or character literals
 
* [https://apl.quest APL Quest]: Website with automatic validation of solutions to problems from Phase 1 of past [[APL Problem Solving Competition]]s (see [[APL Quest]])
* New primitive operators: <source lang=apl inline>∘</source> [[Bind]], [[Beside]]; <source lang=apl inline>⍤</source> [[Rank operator|Rank]]; <source lang=apl inline>⌸</source> [[Key]]; <source lang=apl inline>⌺</source> [[Stencil]]; <source lang=apl inline>⍠</source> [[Variant]]
* [[Advent of Code]]: Advent calendar of small programming puzzles, popular with APL programmers
 
* [[APL-eusis]]: A game for honing your ability to "think in APL"
* Lambdas ([[dfns]]): [https://help.dyalog.com/16.0/Content/Language/Defined%20Functions%20and%20Operators/DynamicFunctions/Dynamic%20Functions%20and%20Operators.htm Intro]; [https://help.dyalog.com/latest/Content/Language/Defined%20Functions%20and%20Operators/DynamicFunctions/MultiLine%20Dynamic%20Functions.htm Details]; [https://help.dyalog.com/latest/Content/Language/Defined%20Functions%20and%20Operators/DynamicFunctions/Dynamic%20Operators.htm Operators]; [https://dfns.dyalog.com/n_contents.htm The dfns workspace] (collection of categorized utilities with extensive comments and notes)
 
* [[Tacit programming]]: [[Dyalog APL]] documentation: [https://help.dyalog.com/16.0/Content/RelNotes14.0/Function%20Trains.htm Intro]; [https://help.dyalog.com/latest/Content/Language/Introduction/Trains.htm Details]; [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt4lMZbn-so short video]; [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2LqqBosvY0 long video]; [https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/52405/conversation/lesson-23-transcribing-to-and-reading-trains APL Cultivation lesson]
 
* Other features: [[Keyword]]s; [[Object-oriented programming]]


== For advanced APLers ==
== For advanced APLers ==


Here is a list of "how-to"s on various subjects:
Here is a list of "how-to"s on various subjects:
 
<div style="column-width:40em">
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgTqamKi1MS3p-O0QAgjv5vt4NY5OgpiM Learn APL with neural networks] (video series)
* [[Error trapping with Dyalog APL]]
* [[Error trapping with Dyalog APL]]
* [[Error trapping in Dyalog APL forms]]
* [[Error trapping in Dyalog APL forms]]
* [https://old.aplwiki.com/CryptographyWithDyalogAndDotNet Cryptography with .Net]
* [[WPF XAML demo]]
</div>


* [[Calling APL from other languages]]
== Haven't used APL in a while? ==
 
Those who learned APL "in the early days" should note that several implementations have made significant extensions to the language and system in the last decade or two.
* [[Calling other languages from APL]]
<div style="column-width:40em">
 
'''General'''
* [[Performance tuning]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN1l1WiYc_o Dyalog APL for other APL users] (video)
 
* [[Assignment]]
* [[APL on the web]]
* [[Control structure]]s
 
* [[Namespace]]s
* [[Parallel computing]]
* [[Migration level]]
 
* [[User-defined operator]]s
* [[Cryptography]] <span style="background:yellow">← Migrate https://old.aplwiki.com/CryptographyWithDyalogAndDotNet</span>
* [[Error trapping with Dyalog APL|Error trapping]]
 
* [[Shyness]]
* [[WPF XAML Demo]]
* [[Namelist]]s
 
* [[Keyword]]s
{{APL development}}
* [[Object-oriented programming]]
* [[Total array ordering]]
* [[Leading axis theory]]
* [[Complex number]]s
'''New primitive functions'''
* [[GCD]] and [[LCM]]
* [[Identity|Same]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⊢</syntaxhighlight> and <syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⊣</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Materialise]] and [[Squad indexing|Index]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⌷</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Depth]] and [[Match]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>≡</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Tally]] and [[Not Match]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>≢</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Nub Sieve]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>≠</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Where]] and [[Interval Index]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⍸</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Nest]] and [[Partition]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⊆</syntaxhighlight>)
'''New primitive operators'''
* [[Power (operator)|Power operator]]
* [[Commute]] and [[Constant]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⍨</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[At]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>@</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Bind]] and [[Beside]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>∘</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Atop (operator)|Atop]] and [[Rank]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⍤</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Over]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⍥</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Key]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⌸</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Stencil]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⌺</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Variant]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>⍠</syntaxhighlight>)
* [[Spawn]] (<syntaxhighlight lang=apl inline>&</syntaxhighlight>)
'''Lambdas ([[dfn]]s)'''
* [https://help.dyalog.com/latest/Content/Language/Defined%20Functions%20and%20Operators/DynamicFunctions/Dynamic%20Functions%20and%20Operators.htm Intro]
* [https://help.dyalog.com/latest/Content/Language/Defined%20Functions%20and%20Operators/DynamicFunctions/MultiLine%20Dynamic%20Functions.htm Details]
* [https://help.dyalog.com/latest/Content/Language/Defined%20Functions%20and%20Operators/DynamicFunctions/Dynamic%20Operators.htm Operators]
* [https://dfns.dyalog.com/n_contents.htm The dfns workspace] (collection of categorized utilities with extensive comments and notes)
'''[[Tacit programming]]'''
* [https://help.dyalog.com/16.0/Content/RelNotes14.0/Function%20Trains.htm Intro]
* [https://help.dyalog.com/latest/Content/Language/Introduction/Trains.htm Details]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt4lMZbn-so Short video]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2LqqBosvY0 Long video]
* [https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/52405/conversation/lesson-23-transcribing-to-and-reading-trains APL Cultivation lesson]
* [[Function composition]]
</div>
{{APL development}}[[Category:Lists of resources]][[Category:Resources]]

Latest revision as of 14:10, 5 November 2024

"I have long been struck by the contrast between the success with which the adventurous learn APL by simply using it, and the frequent failure of lecture courses to communicate the simplicity and applicability of the language."

Ken Iverson. A Working Introduction to APL, 1981.

To facilitate self-study, the resources here are classified by target audience. However, if you get stuck, don't hesitate to request help in one of the many chat rooms and forums or ask a question on Stack Exchange.

It may be beneficial to learn the APL terminology.

For non-programmers

Some of the best resources for somebody new to APL and programming in general are:

Interactive

Books

Text

Video series

Follow one or a couple of these tutorials through and play around a bit. To learn APL the advice is similar to that for learning other languages: have a goal (something you want to accomplish) and try to do it. Along the way you are sure to come across the pitfalls and gotchas of the language, and with time you may come to understand what APL thinking means.

For programmers unfamiliar with APL

This is a list of tutorials and other resources of interest to someone who knows about programming or is familiar with another programming language, but wants to learn more about APL. See also APL Wiki's lists of advanced examples, books, and papers. "Trying APL" has examples for all primitives.

Interactive

Text courses

Video

Books

For novice APLers

Besides for APL Wiki's advanced examples, you can hone your APL skill with these materials.

Books

Videos

Exercises

For advanced APLers

Here is a list of "how-to"s on various subjects:

Haven't used APL in a while?

Those who learned APL "in the early days" should note that several implementations have made significant extensions to the language and system in the last decade or two.

General

New primitive functions

New primitive operators

Lambdas (dfns)

Tacit programming

APL development [edit]
Interface Session ∙ Typing glyphs (on Linux) ∙ Fonts ∙ Text editors
Publications Introductions ∙ Learning resources ∙ Simple examples ∙ Advanced examples ∙ Mnemonics ∙ ISO 8485:1989 ∙ ISO/IEC 13751:2001 ∙ A Dictionary of APL ∙ Case studies ∙ Documentation suites ∙ Books ∙ Papers ∙ Videos ∙ APL Quote Quad ∙ Vector journal ∙ Terminology (Chinese, German) ∙ Neural networks ∙ Error trapping with Dyalog APL (in forms)
Sharing code Backwards compatibility ∙ APLcart ∙ APLTree ∙ APL-Cation ∙ Dfns workspace ∙ Tatin ∙ Cider
Implementation Resources ∙ Open-source ∙ Magic function ∙ Performance ∙ APL hardware
Developers Timeline of corporations ∙ APL2000 ∙ Dyalog ∙ IBM ∙ IPSA ∙ STSC
Retrieved from ‘https://aplwiki.com/index.php?title=Learning_resources&oldid=11679’