Assertive comments in APL programming

  • Authors:

  • David M. Weintraub

  • Affiliations:

  • McClure Computing Center, Room 3-118, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel MD

  • Venue:
  • APL '86 Proceedings of the international conference on APL
  • Year:
  • 1986

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Abstract

Current practice in APL programming (and in most other languages) is to use comments to describe what is intended by subsequent lines within a function. An alternative approach to commenting is described, wherein assertions (a concept borrowed from program proof techniques) are inserted into APL code, specifying the present state of relevant variables, etc. It is shown that this approach is especially appropriate for APL, as most APL design is accomplished by working from a desired end result, backwards.