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A programming language reference explains how a language works and how to write valid code. It covers basic aspects like operators, structure, branching logic, and scalar types. It is not a tutorial but a practical guide. It can be hundreds or thousands of pages long and may be sold as a book or digital file.
A programming language reference is documentation created for the purpose of explaining how a computer programming language works and how to write valid source code for the language. In general, a programming language reference will cover things like how branching instructions work, what scalar types are available, and how different operators can be used. The goal of a programming language reference isn’t necessarily to teach someone how to program in a particular language, but to provide an authoritative source for clarifying technical questions. Unlike a programming language specification, which can be a very precise document that outlines the finer details of the internal implementation of the language, a programming language reference attempts to answer questions more broadly and practically, from a from a programming point of view rather than from a technical interface perspective.
As a computer language is developed and evolves over time, many language developers maintain a reference to the programming language. The reference usually attempts to explain the different aspects of how the programming language works with specifics, without going into details that aren’t required for general purpose programming. However, the document is not a tutorial or learning guide, and the descriptions provided only explain how different operators and features can be used, and the correct syntax that a programmer should use.
The exact type of information that a programming language reference covers can include nearly all the basic aspects of a computer language. This can mean all the basic operators, such as addition and subtraction signs, as well as the basic structure that a source code file must follow in order for it to be interpreted by the language’s compiler. Other information that a programming language reference can cover is how branching logic works, such as if-then-else statements, and the bounds and names of supported scalar types such as integers. In lower-level languages, namespace features and memory management might also be covered.
In some cases, depending on the complexity or size of a programming language, the programming language reference can be hundreds or thousands of pages long. The reference may be sold as a book or book series, or it may be made available as a digital file or download. Some computer programming languages have official websites on the internet where the language reference is constantly updated and maintained as the language progresses. Occasionally, the only reference documents that are produced are by independent technical writers who are not affiliated with the developers of the language.
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