Cobra (programming language) explained

Cobra
Paradigm:	Multi-paradigm object-oriented
Discontinued:	yes
Designer:	Charles Esterbrook
Developer:	Cobra Language LLC
Latest Release Version:	0.9.6
Typing:	strong, static, dynamic, inferred
Influenced By:	Python, Eiffel, C#, Objective-C
Operating System:	Microsoft .NET, Mono
License:	MIT
File Ext:	.cobra

Cobra is a discontinued general-purpose, object-oriented programming language.^[1] Cobra is designed by Charles Esterbrook, and runs on the Microsoft .NET and Mono platforms.^[2] It is strongly influenced by Python, C#, Eiffel, Objective-C, and other programming languages.^[3] It supports both static and dynamic typing.^{[4] [5]} It has support for unit tests and contracts.^[4] It has lambda expressions, closures, list comprehensions, and generators.^[6]

Cobra is an open-source project; it was released under the MIT License on February 29, 2008.^{[7] [8]}

Features

Object-oriented:

• Namespaces

• Classes, interfaces, structs, extensions, enumerations

• Methods, properties, indexers

• Mixins, extension methods

• Generics, attributes

Quality control:

• Contracts, assertions

• Unit tests, docstrings

• Compile-time nil-tracking

Expressiveness:

• Static and dynamic binding

• List, dictionary, and set literals

• in and implies operator

• for expressions

• Slicing

• Interpolated strings

• Compile-time type inference

• Lambdas and closures

General productivity:

• Exception handling

• Postmortem exception report

• Garbage collection

Scripting conveniences:

• Clean syntax

• Dynamic binding

• One-step run

• Shebang line (#!)

Miscellaneous:

• Documentation tool (cobra -doc)

• Syntax highlighting tool (cobra -highlight)

Examples

The following examples can be run from a file using cobra <samp>&lt;filename&gt;</samp>.

Hello World

class Hello def main print 'HELLO WORLD'

A simple class

class Person

var _name as String var _age as int

cue init(name as String, age as int) _name, _age = name, age

def toString as String is override return 'My name is [_name] and I am [_age] years old.'

External links

• • The Cobra blog by Charles Esterbrook
• Cobra News Index

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Cobra Programming Language. Cobra Language LLC. 2012-09-26.
2. Charles Esterbrook . Jan 28, 2008 . Lang.NET Symposium 2008 – The Cobra Programming Language . wmv . . 2010-08-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090326203941/http://www.facultyresourcecenter.com/curriculum/pfv.aspx?ID=7259 . March 26, 2009 . dead .
3. News: Cobra takes a bite at open source . Bridgwater. Adrian. 5 March 2008. ZDNet UK. 2010-08-31.
4. Neward. Ted. June 2009. Reaping the Benefits of Cobra. MSDN Magazine.
5. Erickson. Jonathan. April 2008. Was George Costanza a Computer Programmer?. Dr. Dobb's Journal.
6. Morris. Richard. April 2010. Chuck Esterbrook: Geek of the Week. Simple-talk.
7. News: Cobra language slithering to open source. Krill. Paul. Feb 7, 2008. InfoWorld. 2010-08-31.
8. Web site: The Cobra Programming Language . 2008-02-29. Cobra Language LLC.