OVERVIEW

A scripting language, script language or extension language is a programming language that allows control of one or more software applications. “Scripts” are distinct from the core code of the application, as they are usually written in a different language and are often created or at least modified by the end-user.^[a] Scripts are often interpreted from source code or bytecode, whereas the applications they control are traditionally compiled to native machine code. Scripting languages are nearly always embedded in the applications they control.^[b] The name “script” is derived from the written script of the performing arts, in which dialogue is set down to be spoken by human actors. Early script languages were often called batch languages or job control languages. Such early scripting languages were created to shorten the traditional edit-compile-link-run process.^[1]