Programming Languages reference data
Syntax, features, and comparisons of major programming languages.
Topic guide
What Programming Languages covers
Programming-language reference data compares languages by the ideas they are built on and the features they added: paradigms and typing disciplines, the concurrency models of Go and Rust, the modern features of C++, C#, JavaScript, Swift and TypeScript, the built-in vocabulary of Python and the metaprogramming of Ruby. Features are tied to versions, since most languages evolve continuously, and a feature that is idiomatic in one language can be unavailable or discouraged in another. A question about a language should always carry a version, because the answer for Python 2 and Python 3 or for ES5 and ES2024 differs.
Key ideas
- Paradigm
- A style of structuring programs, such as procedural, object-oriented, functional or declarative. Most languages are multi-paradigm.
- Static vs dynamic typing
- Static typing checks types before running, dynamic typing checks them at runtime. Gradual typing, as in TypeScript, adds static checks to a dynamic base.
- Memory management
- How a language reclaims memory: manual, garbage collection, reference counting or ownership rules such as Rust's.
- Concurrency model
- How a language handles simultaneous work: threads and locks, async/await, goroutines and channels or actors.
- Compiled vs interpreted
- Whether code is translated ahead of time to machine code, run by a virtual machine or interpreted directly. Many languages do a mix.
- Language version
- A specific release, such as C++20 or ES2022. Feature availability and standard-library behavior are version-specific.
- Standard library
- The functions and types that ship with a language, which shape what idiomatic code looks like.
Common pitfalls
- Quoting a feature without its version, so users try it on a runtime that lacks it.
- Comparing languages by a single benchmark or popularity ranking; fit depends on the problem and the team.
- Equating typing discipline with safety: static typing catches some errors and memory-safe languages prevent others, but neither guarantees correctness.
- Copying idioms between languages (for example exceptions in Go style or global state in Rust) without adapting them.
Using it from an agent
- State the language version and runtime when giving code or recommending a feature.
- Prefer the language's own standard idiom and cite the official documentation when unsure.
- Run or reason through the code before presenting it; small syntax errors are common in generated snippets.
Start with: Popular Programming Languages Comparison · Python Built-in Functions
Datasets in Programming Languages
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C# and .NET Modern Features
Modern C# features (C# 8-12) and .NET capabilities: nullable reference types, records, pattern matching, LINQ, async streams, minimal APIs.
8 entries -
Date and Time Interchange Patterns
Representing instants, civil dates, time zones, recurring schedules, and intervals without hidden assumptions.
10 entries -
Go Concurrency Patterns
Goroutines, channels, select, sync primitives, and common concurrency patterns in Go.
8 entries -
JavaScript ES6+ Features Reference
Key JavaScript features from ES6 through ES2022: arrow functions, template literals, destructuring, spread, async/await, optional chaining, nullish coalescing, and top-level await.
20 entries -
Modern C++ Features (C++11 through C++23)
Modern C++ features from C++11 to C++23: smart pointers, move semantics, lambdas, concepts, ranges, coroutines, and modules.
12 entries -
Popular Programming Languages Comparison
Comparison of popular programming languages with paradigm, typing, and use cases.
18 entries -
Python Built-in Functions
Common Python built-in functions: map, filter, zip, enumerate, sorted, isinstance with descriptions, categories, and usage examples.
24 entries -
Ruby Language Essentials
Core Ruby programming concepts: blocks, procs, lambdas, metaprogramming, gems, Rails conventions, and Ruby idioms.
8 entries -
Rust Language Features
Core Rust programming language concepts: ownership, borrowing, lifetimes, traits, and concurrency.
12 entries -
Swift Language Features
Swift programming language features: optionals, protocol-oriented programming, generics, async/await, SwiftUI, and memory management (ARC).
8 entries -
TypeScript Type System
TypeScript's static type system: types, interfaces, generics, utility types, and advanced type manipulation.
12 entries -
Unicode Text Handling Reference
Text boundaries, normalization, case handling, and encoding decisions for multilingual applications.
10 entries
Fetch this category
One request returns the category with all of its dataset summaries. Append
?format=yaml or ?format=toon for the other encodings.
GET https://yjtoon.com/api/category/programming-languages?format=json