What programming languages are commonly used for web development?

[anorlunda]

To further muddy the waters, there are many cases where a program can be interpreted, or compiled into an executable. Same program, user's choice, independent of language. There have even been a few FORTRAN interpreters.

 

[fog37]

Yes, as a beginner in coding, I am familiar with compiled, interpreted, and hybrid computer languages.
Either way, a compiler or translator is simply a program that translates high-level instructions into machine readable instructions.
This whole discussion started in my head when I pondered if other programs (applications like Word, Photoshop, etc.), besides the simple Python programs I am writing, needed an "interpreter" and a shell too to operate...

So here we are :)

 

[PeterDonis]

The exception to this rule are things like shell scripts. Roughly speaking, these are sequences of commands that a shell can execute.

One could argue that things like Basic programs, Perl scripts, Python scripts, Java applets, etc need a Basic interpreter, a Perl interpreter or a Python interpreter or a Java run time environment, etc in order to be executed.

And similarly, a shell script needs a shell interpreter in order to be executed. In other words, as I pointed out a number of posts back, a shell program like bash is an interpreter.

This whole discussion started in my head when I pondered if other programs (applications like Word, Photoshop, etc.), besides the simple Python programs I am writing, needed an "interpreter" and a shell too to operate...

Programs in languages like Python do not need a shell in order to operate, they just need the Python interpreter. Don't be confused by the fact that you can start an interactive session with the Python interpreter from a shell prompt; while the Python interpreter is running, the shell program (bash, for example) is just sitting there doing nothing; the Python interpreter doesn't need the shell to run Python code.

 

[pbuk]

An interpreter can work on each command as it is typed in by the user.

Not all interpreters can do that, and there is a modern term for this mode: a read-eval(uate)-print loop (REPL).

 

[pbuk]

Essentially no software programs require the assistance of an interpreter.

The code that runs this website requires an interpreter, as does the code that runs Wikipedia, WordPress.com, parts of Twitter, Facebook and Google apps, GitHub...

 

[PeterDonis]

Not all interpreters can do that

Can you give examples of ones that can't?

The code that runs this website requires an interpreter

Can you clarify what code you are referring to?

 

[pbuk]

Can you give examples of ones that can't?

The standard implementation of Perl, the JavaScript interpreter in some web browsers, most 'traditional' (i.e. with line numbers) versions of BASIC, PHP in some environments.

Can you clarify what code you are referring to?

The forum software XenForo which is written in PHP.