NPL (programming language)

NPL is a scripting language primarily designed for embedding within other applications, particularly games and virtual world platforms. It aims to provide a flexible and intuitive syntax that allows developers to extend the functionality of the host application without requiring recompilation of the core engine.

Key Features:

• Embeddable: NPL is designed to be easily integrated into larger software systems. Its small footprint and clear API facilitate its use as an extension language.
• Dynamic Typing: NPL is a dynamically typed language, meaning that type checking is performed at runtime. This allows for more rapid prototyping and flexible code development.
• Garbage Collection: Memory management is handled automatically by a garbage collector, freeing developers from the burden of manual memory allocation and deallocation.
• Extensible: NPL provides mechanisms for binding native code (written in languages like C or C++) to NPL functions, enabling developers to access platform-specific features and optimize performance-critical sections of code.
• Event-Driven Programming: NPL often supports an event-driven programming model, allowing scripts to respond to user actions, system events, or other triggers within the host application.
• Focus on Game Development: While embeddable in other application types, NPL has historically seen significant use in game development, particularly for scripting game logic, creating AI behaviors, and handling user interfaces.
• Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): NPL supports object-oriented programming principles, allowing developers to create classes, define methods, and utilize inheritance to organize and structure their code.

Relationship to Host Application:

NPL scripts typically interact with the host application through a defined API. This API provides access to the application's internal data structures, functions, and events. By using this API, NPL scripts can control various aspects of the application's behavior and extend its functionality.

Typical Use Cases:

• Game Scripting: Defining game logic, character AI, event triggers, and user interface elements.
• Virtual World Development: Creating interactive objects, scripting avatar behaviors, and managing virtual environments.
• Automation: Automating repetitive tasks within the host application.
• Prototyping: Rapidly prototyping new features and functionalities before implementing them in native code.
• Configuration: Storing application settings and configuration data in a readable and easily modifiable format.

Alternatives:

Other scripting languages commonly used for embedding include Lua, Python, and AngelScript. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of which language to use depends on the specific requirements of the project.