Description #
Snobol (String Oriented Symbolic Language) is a high-level interpreted language designed for complex string and pattern matching operations, particularly in symbolic computation and text processing.
History #
Snobol was created in 1962 by David J. Farber, Ralph E. Griswold, and Ivan P. Polonsky at Bell Labs. It pioneered pattern matching and string manipulation techniques that influenced later languages like AWK, Perl, and Icon.
Hello World Code #
OUTPUT = "Hello, World!"
ENDHow to Run #
Option 1: Online
https://tio.run/#snobol4
Option 2: Local
Install CSnobol4:
sudo apt install snobol4Run:
snobol4 hello.snoKey Concepts #
- Pattern-matching as a core language feature
- Designed for symbolic string processing
- Loosely typed and interpreted
- Non-linear control flow using success/failure conditions
- Built-in string, pattern, and label evaluation
- Compact syntax for transformations
- Suited for natural language processing and log parsing
- Extended by successors like Icon and Unicon
- Powerful yet minimal syntax
- Rarely used today, but historically significant
Try It Online #
Fun Facts #
- One of the earliest languages to treat pattern matching as first-class logic.
- SNOBOL4, the most widely used version, was stable by the early 1970s.
- Though obscure today, it remains a curiosity in language history and text parsing design.
Resources #
SNOBOL4 Manual (PDF)
GitHub: CSnobol4
TIO Online Interpreter
Snobol Introduction
