Editing ABC (programming language) (section)

==Features==
Its designers claim that ABC [[Computer program|programs]] are typically around a quarter the size of the equivalent [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]] or [[C (programming language)|C]] programs, and more readable.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pemberton |first=Steven |date=2012-02-22 |url=https://homepages.cwi.nl/~steven/abc/ |title=The ABC Programming Language: a short introduction |website=[[Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica]] (CWI) |place=Amsterdam |access-date=2020-09-04}}</ref> Key features include:

*Only five basic [[data type]]s
*No required variable declarations
*Explicit support for [[top-down programming]]
*Statement nesting is indicated by [[indent style|indentation]], via the [[off-side rule]]
*[[Infinite precision arithmetic]], unlimited-sized lists and strings, and other features supporting orthogonality and ease of use by novices
* Polymorphic commands and functions
* Interactive environment with command completion, persistent workspaces, and no separate file handling

ABC was originally a [[monolithic application|monolithic implementation]], leading to an inability to adapt to new requirements, such as creating a [[graphical user interface]] (GUI). ABC could not directly access the underlying [[file system]] and [[operating system]].

The full ABC system includes a programming environment with a [[structure editor]] (syntax-directed editor), suggestions, [[static variable]]s (persistent), and multiple workspaces, and is available as an [[Interpreter (computer software)|interpreter]]–[[compiler]]. {{As of|2020}}, the latest version is 1.05.02, and it is ported to [[Unix]], [[DOS]], [[Atari]], and Apple [[MacOS]].