Version 11 of Holon - a simple programming system
Updated 2007-07-10 13:20:11 by escargoWolf Wejgaard: Yet another programming system? Holon is new in Tcl but is based on over 15 years experience with Holonforth under DOS.
Main features:
- The source is stored in a database.
- The program is presented in a book-like structure of modules (chapters), sections and units. The units are the actual program (procedures, functions, variables, objects, methods, ...); the modules and sections bring order to the collection of units.
- Holon keeps track of changes.
See http://holonforth.com/new/holon.html for details. Holon is presently available as a free starpack for Microsoft Windows (MIT license).
This is Holon, handling its own source:
Acknowledgements: Holon is built on Wikit. It started by adding a book-structure (HolonWikit), then the wikit pages turned into program containers for source and comments. The hardwired links are replaced by dynamic links to page titles=names. Comments are edited and saved in Tk format; source is saved unformatted. Some Wikit features remain.
Remarks
Storing source in a database makes sense, particularly if a program consists of a large number of units. (The number of units depends on the size of your definitions. If you don't mind writing procedures that span a printed page or more, you are probably better off with text files and a fancy editor.) I prefer many short definitions. Small procedures are simple to write, simple to read and understand, simple to test, simple to change. And: if I store the units in a database, it is a simple matter to keep track of the multitude and to implement useful features for efficient program development.
Handling source in a database is not new, of course. It is common in OO systems (Smalltalk and others) It is used in the powerful Tcl introspection tools and development systems, which work on the internal database in Tcl. Isn't this general: Every modular program is turned into a database as soon as it is converted to code (interpreted/compiled). I keep wondering: Why is source still handled on text files? Are there any real advantages, or is it a matter of software folklore?