Learning resources: Difference between revisions

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Some of the best resources for somebody new to APL and programming in general are:
Some of the best resources for somebody new to APL and programming in general are:
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'''In text form'''
'''Interactive'''
* APL Wiki's [[simple examples]]
* The [https://tryapl.org/?tab=3 Learn tab on TryAPL]
* The [https://tryapl.org/?tab=3 Learn tab on TryAPL]
* The book [[Mastering Dyalog APL]] by Bernard Legrand
* The book [https://archive.org/details/apl-2-at-a-glance-brown-pakin-polivka/ APL2 at a Glance] by [[Jim Brown]], Sandra Pakin, and [[Ray Polivka]] (also [https://www.blitter.com/nextcloud/index.php/s/8cj5JMAxsrCc4Wd#pdfviewer in German])
* [http://www.microapl.com/apl/learn_apl.html Learning APL with APLX] (also [http://www.microapl.com/apl/LearningAPLwithAPLX.pdf as PDF])
* The [https://tutorial.dyalog.com Zark APL Tutor]
* The [https://tutorial.dyalog.com Zark APL Tutor]
'''Books'''
* [[Mastering Dyalog APL]] by Bernard Legrand
* [https://archive.org/details/apl-2-at-a-glance-brown-pakin-polivka/ APL2 at a Glance] by [[Jim Brown]], Sandra Pakin, and [[Ray Polivka]] (also [https://www.blitter.com/nextcloud/index.php/s/8cj5JMAxsrCc4Wd#pdfviewer in German])
* [http://www.microapl.com/apl/learn_apl.html Learning APL with APLX] (also [https://www.microapl.com/apl/LearningAPLwithAPLX.pdf as PDF])
* [https://romilly.github.io/o-x-o/an-introduction.html MENACE in APL] (early [[wikipedia:reinforcement learning|reinforcement learning]] project)
* [http://robertson.uk.net/Files/APL1&2.pdf A Practical Introduction to APL 1 & 2] (3 & 4 is [[#For novice APLers|for experts]])
'''Text'''
* APL Wiki's [[simple examples]]
* APL a Day: [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-0-introduction/ Introduction], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-1-functions/ Functions], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-2-arrays-values/ Arrays, Values], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-3-arrays-have-shape/ Arrays have Shape]
* APL a Day: [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-0-introduction/ Introduction], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-1-functions/ Functions], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-2-arrays-values/ Arrays, Values], [https://www.sacrideo.us/apl-a-day-3-arrays-have-shape/ Arrays have Shape]
* [http://robertson.uk.net/Files/APL1&2.pdf A Practical Introduction to APL 1 & 2] (3 & 4 is [[#For novice APLers|for experts]])
* [https://romilly.github.io/o-x-o/an-introduction.html MENACE in APL] (An early Reinforcement Learning project reimplemented in APL)
* [https://old.aplwiki.com/LearnApl/TutorialContents The tutorial from the old APL Wiki]
* [https://old.aplwiki.com/LearnApl/TutorialContents The tutorial from the old APL Wiki]
'''Video series'''
'''Video series'''

Revision as of 08:18, 11 November 2022

"I have long been struck by the contrast between the success with which the adventurous learn APL by simply using it, and the frequent failure of lecture courses to communicate the simplicity and applicability of the language."

Ken Iverson. A Working Introduction to APL, 1981.

To facilitate self-study, the resources here are classified by target audience. However, if you get stuck, don't hesitate to request help in a chat room (APL Farm or APL Orchard) or ask a question on Stack Exchange.

It may be beneficial to learn the APL terminology.

For non-programmers

Some of the best resources for somebody new to APL and programming in general are:

Interactive

Books

Text

Video series

Follow one or a couple of these tutorials through and play around a bit. To learn APL the advice is similar to that for learning other languages: have a goal (something you want to accomplish) and try to do it. Along the way you are sure to come across the pitfalls and gotchas of the language, and with time you may come to understand what APL thinking means.

For programmers unfamiliar with APL

This is a list of tutorials and other resources of interest to someone who knows about programming or is familiar with another programming language, but wants to learn more about APL. See also APL Wiki's lists of advanced examples, books, and papers. "Trying APL" has examples for all primitives.

Interactive

Text courses

Video

Books

For novice APLers

If you already have a fair grasp of APL's primitive functions and operators, you can sharpen your skills by challenging yourself with these:

  • APLcart Quiz: Be challenged to write a function for a given task or to explain what a given function does. (Based on APLcart data.)
  • APL Crosswords: 1 4 5 — Fill in expressions and snippets to fulfil all the clues.
  • 2016 Year Game: Find APL expressions involving exactly the digits 2 0 1 6 in that order to equal the numbers 0 to 100.
  • 2017 Code Golf Challenge: Find the shortest possible APL expression that evaluates 1…52 without using any number or character literals.
  • APL-eusis: A game for honing your ability to "think in APL".
  • Triplets pythagoriciens by OsKaR: A mathematical problem used as an introduction to the expressive power of APL (video series in French).

For advanced APLers

Here is a list of "how-to"s on various subjects:

Haven't used APL in a while?

Those who learned APL "in the early days" should note that several implementations have made significant extensions to the language and system in the last decade or two.


APL development [edit]
Interface SessionTyping glyphs (on Linux) ∙ FontsText editors
Publications IntroductionsLearning resourcesSimple examplesAdvanced examplesMnemonicsISO 8485:1989ISO/IEC 13751:2001A Dictionary of APLCase studiesDocumentation suitesBooksPapersVideosAPL Quote QuadVector journalTerminology (Chinese, German) ∙ Neural networksError trapping with Dyalog APL (in forms)
Sharing code Backwards compatibilityAPLcartAPLTreeAPL-CationDfns workspaceTatinCider
Implementation ResourcesOpen-sourceMagic functionPerformanceAPL hardware
Developers Timeline of corporationsAPL2000DyalogIBMIPSASTSC