Learning resources: Difference between revisions

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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:
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* APL Wiki's [[simple examples]]
* APL Wiki's [[simple examples]]
* The [https://tryapl.org/?tab=3 Learn tab on TryAPL]
* 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
* 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]
* 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]])
* 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)
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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.
* 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)


== For non-APL programmers ==
== For non-APL programmers ==
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== For novice APLers ==
== For novice APLers ==
* [http://robertson.uk.net/Files/APL3&4.pdf A Practical Introduction to APL 3 & 4]


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:
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:
* [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.)


* 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.
* 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.
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* 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]]
* 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]]


* Lambdas ([[dfns]]): [http://help.dyalog.com/16.0/Content/Language/Defined%20Functions%20and%20Operators/DynamicFunctions/Dynamic%20Functions%20and%20Operators.htm Intro]; [http://help.dyalog.com/latest/Content/Language/Defined%20Functions%20and%20Operators/DynamicFunctions/MultiLine%20Dynamic%20Functions.htm Details]; [http://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)
* 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: [http://help.dyalog.com/16.0/Content/RelNotes14.0/Function%20Trains.htm Intro]; [http://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]
* [[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]]
* Other features: [[Keyword]]s; [[Object-oriented programming]]

Revision as of 10:41, 21 July 2020

"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 ask a question on Stack Exchange.

For non-programmers

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

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

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.

For novice APLers

If you already have a fair grasp of APL's primitive functions and operators, you can sharpen your skills by challenging yourself with these:

  • APLcart Quiz: Be challenged to write a function for a given task or to explain what a given function does. (Based on APLcart data.)
  • APL Crosswords: 1 4 5 — Fill in expressions and snippets to fulfil all the clues.
  • 2016 Year Game: Find APL expressions involving exactly the digits 2 0 1 6 in that order to equal the numbers 0 to 100.
  • 2017 Code Golf Challenge: Find the shortest possible APL expression that evaluates 1…52 without using any number or character literals.
  • APL-eusis: A game for honing your ability to "think in APL".

For old APLers

In the last decade, several implementations have extended APL:

For advanced APLers

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


APL development [edit]
Interface SessionTyping glyphs (on Linux) ∙ FontsText editors
Publications IntroductionsLearning resourcesSimple examplesAdvanced examplesMnemonicsISO 8485:1989ISO/IEC 13751:2001A Dictionary of APLCase studiesDocumentation suitesBooksPapersVideosAPL Quote QuadVector journalTerminology (Chinese, German) ∙ Neural networksError trapping with Dyalog APL (in forms)
Sharing code Backwards compatibilityAPLcartAPLTreeAPL-CationDfns workspaceTatinCider
Implementation ResourcesOpen-sourceMagic functionPerformanceAPL hardware
Developers Timeline of corporationsAPL2000DyalogIBMIPSASTSC