Scripting language

In computing, a script is a relatively short and simple set of instructions that typically automate an otherwise manual process. The act of writing a script is called scripting. A scripting language or script language is a programming language that is used for scripting.

Originally, scripting was limited to automating shells in operating systems, and languages were relatively simple. Today, scripting is more pervasive and some scripting languages include modern features that allow them to be used to develop application software also.

A scripting language can be a general-purpose programming language or a domain-specific language for a given environment. When embedded in an application, it may be called an extension language.

A scripting language is sometimes referred to as very high-level programming language if it operates at a high level of abstraction, or as a control language, especially for job control languages on mainframe computers.

The term scripting language is sometimes used in a wider sense, to refer to dynamic high-level programming languages in general. Some are strictly interpreted languages, while others use a form of compilation. In this context, the term script refers to a small program in such a language; typically, contained in a single file, and no larger than a few thousand lines of code.

The scope of scripting languages ranges from small to large, and from highly domain-specific language to general-purpose programming languages. A language may start as small and highly domain-specific and later develop into a portable and general-purpose language; conversely, a general-purpose language may later develop special domain-specific dialects.

Script is a subjective characterization that generally includes the following attributes.

A script is usually not compiled, at least not its usual meaning. Generally, they are interpreted directly from source code, or from bytecode, or run as native after just-in-time compilation.