Editing Agora (programming language)

'''Agora''' is a [[Reflective programming|reflective]], [[Prototype-based programming|prototype-based]], [[object-oriented programming]] [[Programming language|language]] that is based exclusively on [[message passing]] and not [[Delegation (object-oriented programming)|delegation]]. Agora was intended to show that even subject to that limit, it is possible to build a full object-oriented language that features [[Inheritance (object-oriented programming)|inheritance]], [[Clone (Java method)|cloning]], and reflective [[Operator (computer programming)|operators]].

==Overview==
The idea is that an [[Object (computer science)|object]] is fully [[Encapsulation (computer programming)|encapsulated]] and can only be subject to message passing. But seen from the inside of the object, the object knows all about its own structures. It is therefore fully able to clone and extend itself. This is accomplished by special [[Method (computer programming)|methods]] named ''cloning'' methods and ''[[mixin]]'' methods.

Agora has been implemented in [[C++]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]], [[Scheme (programming language)|Scheme]], and [[Smalltalk]]. Agora98, the latest implementation of Agora, done in Java, allows full access to all Java application programming interfaces ([[API]]s), including the ability to create [[Java applet]]s from within Agora98. From the language viewpoint, Agora98 is a considerable simplification of prior Agora versions.

==References==
* ''Agora98: Reflective Programming in a Web Browser'', Submitted to ECOOP98.
* ''A Marriage of Class- and Object-Based Inheritance Without Unwanted Children'', Proceedings of ECOOP'95, Springer-Verlag 1995.
* ''Agora: Message Passing as a Foundation for Exploring OO Language Concepts'', SIGPLAN Notices, 29(12):48-57, December 1994.
* ''Modular Inheritance of Objects Through Mixin-Methods'', JMLC'94 Proceedings.
* ''Nested Mixin-methods in Agora'', Proceedings of ECOOP93, Springer-Verlag, 1993.

==External links==
* {{Official website|soft.vub.ac.be/research/agora}}

[[Category:Prototype-based programming languages]]