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Ruby, Io, Prolog, Scala, Erlang, Clojure, Haskell. With Seven Languages in Seven Weeks, by Bruce A. Tate, you’ll go beyond the syntax—and beyond the 20-minute tutorial you’ll find someplace online. This book has an audacious goal: to present a meaningful exploration of seven languages within a single book. Seven Languages hits what’s essential and unique about each language and will help teach you how to grok new languages. For each language, you’ll solve a nontrivial problem, using techniques that show off the language’s most important features. You’ll discover the strengths and weaknesses of each language while dissecting the process of learning languages quickly—for example, finding the typing and programming models, decision structures, and how you interact with them. Among this group of seven, you’ll explore the most critical programming models of our time. Learn the dynamic typing that makes Ruby, Python, and Perl so flexible and compelling. Understand the underlying prototype system that’s at the heart of JavaScript. See how pattern matching in Prolog shaped the development of Scala and Erlang. Discover how pure functional programming in Haskell is different from the Lisp family of languages, including Clojure. Explore the concurrency techniques that are quickly becoming the backbone of a new generation of Internet applications. Find out how to use Erlang’s let-it-crash philosophy for building fault-tolerant systems. Understand the actor model that drives concurrency design in Io and Scala. Learn how Clojure uses versioning to solve some of the most difficult concurrency problems. It’s all here, all in one place. Use the concepts from one language to find creative solutions in another—or discover a language that may become one of your favorites. About the Author Bruce Tate runs RapidRed, an Austin, TX-based practice that consults on lightweight development in Ruby. Previously he worked at IBM in roles ranging from a database systems programmer to Java consultant. He left IBM to work for several startups in roles ranging from Client Solutions Director to CTO. He speaks internationally and is the author of more than ten books, including From Java to Ruby, Deploying Rails Applications, the best-selling Bitter series, Beyond Java, and the Jolt-winning Better, Faster, Lighter Java. Table of Contents Dedication Acknowledgments Foreword 1 Introduction 1.1 Method to the Madness 1.2 The Languages 1.3 Buy This Book 1.4 Don’t Buy This Book 1.5 A Final Charge 2 Ruby 2.1 Quick History 2.2 Day 1: Finding a Nanny 2.3 Day 2: Floating Down from the Sky 2.4 Day 3: Serious Change 2.5 Wrapping Up Ruby 3 Io 3.1 Introducing Io 3.2 Day 1: Skipping School, Hanging Out 3.3 Day 2: The Sausage King 3.4 Day 3: The Parade and Other Strange Places 3.5 Wrapping Up Io 4 Prolog 4.1 About Prolog 4.2 Day 1: An Excellent Driver 4.3 Day 2: Fifteen Minutes to Wapner 4.4 Day 3: Blowing Up Vegas 4.5 Wrapping Up Prolog 5 Scala 5.1 About Scala 5.2 Day 1: The Castle on the Hill 5.3 Day 2: Clipping Bushes and Other New Tricks 5.4 Day 3: Cutting Through the Fluff 5.5 Wrapping Up Scala 6 Erlang 6.1 Introducing Erlang 6.2 Day 1: Appearing Human 6.3 Day 2: Changing Forms 6.4 Day 3: The Red Pill 6.5 Wrapping Up Erlang 7 Clojure 7.1 Introducing Clojure 7.2 Day 1: Training Luke 7.3 Day 2: Yoda and the Force 7.4 Day 3: An Eye for Evil 7.5 Wrapping Up Clojure 8 Haskell 8.1 Introducing Haskell 8.2 Day 1: Logical 8.3 Day 2: Spock’s Great Strength 8.4 Day 3: The Mind Meld 8.5 Wrapping Up Haskell 9 Wrap-Up 9.1 Programming Models 9.2 Concurrency 9.3 Programming Constructs 9.4 Finding Your Voice A Bibliography Index