{"history":[],"article":{"id":"ffef1f7d-1dbb-4bdc-b40a-d78f30ca8ff2","title":"Magik (programming language)","slug":"magik-programming-language","content":":::summary\n:::\n\n# \n**Magik** is an [object-oriented programming](https://bliptext.com/articles/object-oriented-programming) language that supports [multiple inheritance](https://bliptext.com/articles/multiple-inheritance) and [polymorphism](https://bliptext.com/articles/polymorphism-computer-science), and it is [dynamically typed](https://bliptext.com/articles/dynamic-typing).\nIt was designed and implemented in 1989 by Arthur Chance of [Smallworld Systems Ltd.](https://bliptext.com/articles/smallworld) as part of Smallworld Geographical Information System (GIS).\nFollowing Smallworld's acquisition in 2000, Magik is now provided by [GE Energy](https://bliptext.com/articles/ge-energy), still as part of its Smallworld technology platform.\nMagik (Inspirational Magik) was originally introduced in 1990 and has been improved and updated over the years.\nIts current version is 5.2.\nIn July 2012, Magik developers announced that they were in the process of porting Magik language on the [Java virtual machine](https://bliptext.com/articles/java-virtual-machine).\nThe successful porting was confirmed by [Oracle Corporation](https://bliptext.com/articles/oracle-corporation) in November of the same year.\n\n# Similarities with Smalltalk\nMagik itself shares some similarities with [Smalltalk](https://bliptext.com/articles/smalltalk) in terms of its language features and its architecture: the Magik language is compiled into [byte codes](https://bliptext.com/articles/byte-code) interpreted by the Magik [virtual machine](https://bliptext.com/articles/virtual-machine).\nThe Magik virtual machine is available on several platforms including [Microsoft Windows](https://bliptext.com/articles/microsoft-windows), various flavours of [Unix](https://bliptext.com/articles/unix) and [Linux](https://bliptext.com/articles/linux).\nMagik is console based and code can be modified on the fly even when an application is running.\nThe console can also be used to execute Magik code and to see the results.\nCompiled code is stored in a single file called an image file.\nEach image file holds the compiled byte-codes and the state of the session (for example variable values) when the image was last saved.\n\n# Language features\n\n## Comments\nMagik uses the token to mark sections of code as comments:\n# This is a comment.\n\n## Assignments\nMagik uses the operator to make [assignments](https://bliptext.com/articles/assignment-computer-science):\na << 1.234\nb << b + a c << \"foo\" + \"bar\" # Concat strings\nFor clarity, this notation is read as \"a becomes 1.234\" or \"b becomes b plus a\".\nThis terminology separates assignment from [comparison](https://bliptext.com/articles/comparison-computer-programming).\nMagik also supports a compressed variation of this operator that works in a similar way to those found in [C](https://bliptext.com/articles/c-programming-language):\nb +<< a # Equivalent to b << b + a To print a variable you can use the following command\na << \"hello\"\nwrite(a)\n\n## Symbols\nAs well as conventional data types such as integers, floats and strings Magik also implements symbols.\nSymbols are a special token data type that are used extensively throughout Magik to uniquely identify objects.\nThey are represented by a colon followed by a string of characters.\nSymbols can be escaped using the [vertical bar](https://bliptext.com/articles/vertical-bar) character.\nFor example:\na << :hello # whenever :hello is encountered, it is the same instance\nb << :|hello world|\n\n## Dynamic typing\nMagik variables are not typed as they are in say [C#](https://bliptext.com/articles/c-sharp-programming-language) and can reference different objects at runtime.\nEverything in Magik is an object (there is no distinction between objects and primitive types such as integers):\na << 1.2 # a floating point number is assigned to variable 'a' a << \"1.2\" # later, a string is assigned to variable 'a' Objects are implemented in Magik using exemplars.\nExemplars have similarities to classes in other programming languages such as [Java](https://bliptext.com/articles/java-programming-language), but with important differences.\nMagik supports multiple inheritance, and [mixins](https://bliptext.com/articles/mixin) (which implement functionality with no data).\nNew instances are made by cloning an existing instance (which will typically be the exemplar but does not have to be).\nNew exemplars are created using the statement, for example:\ndef_slotted_exemplar(:my_object, { {:slot_a, 34}, {:slot_b, \"hello\"} }, {:parent_object_a, :parent_object_b})\nThis code fragment will define a new exemplar called that has two slots (or fields) called (pre-initialised to 34) and (pre-initialised to \"hello\") that inherits from two existing exemplars called and.\n\n## Comparison\nMagik implements all usual logical operators for comparison, as well as a few unusual ones.\nThe and operators are used for comparing specific instances of objects, or object references rather than values.\nFor example:\na << \"hello\"\nb << \"hello\"\na = b # returns True (_true) because the values of a and b are equal\na _is b # returns False (_false) because a is not the same instance as b\na << \"hello\"\nb << a a = b # returns True (_true) because the values of a and b are equal\na _is b # returns True (_true) because b was assigned the specific instance of the same object as a, rather than the value of a.\n\n## Methods\nMethods are defined on exemplars using the statements and :\n_method my_object.my_method(a, b) _return a + b _endmethod\nIt is convention to supply two methods (to create a new instance) and (to initialise an instance).\n# New method\n_method person.new(name, age)\n_return _clone.init(name, age)\n_endmethod\n# Initialise method.\n_private _method person.init(name, age)\n# Call the parent implementation.\n_super.init(name, age)\n# Initialise the slots.\n.name << name\n.age << age\n_return _self\n_endmethod\nThe creates a physical copy of the object.\nThe statement allows objects to invoke an implementation of a method on the parent exemplar.\nObjects can reference themselves using the statement.\nAn object's slots are accessed and assigned using a dot notation.\nMethods that are not part of the public interface of the object can be marked private using the statement.\nPrivate methods can only be called by, and.\nOptional arguments can be declared using the statement.\nOptional arguments that are not passed are assigned by Magik to the special object (the equivalent of null).\nThe statement can be used to declare a list of optional arguments.\n_method my_object.my_method(_gather values)\n_endmethod\n\n## Iteration\nIn Magik the, , , and statements allow iteration.\n_block\n_local s << 0\n_local i << 0\n_while i <= 100\n_loop\ns +<< i \t\ti +<< 1\n_endloop\n>> s _endblock\nHere, the _while is combined with _loop and _endloop.\n_method my_object.my_method(_gather values)\ntotal << 0.0\n_for a _over values.elements\n_loop\ntotal +<< a _endloop\n_return total\n_endmethod\nm << my_object.new\nx << m.my_method(1.0, 2, 3.0, 4) # x = 10.0\nHere values.elements is an iterator which helps to iterate the values.\nIn Magik [generator](https://bliptext.com/articles/generator-computer-science) methods are called iterator methods.\nNew iterator methods can be defined using the and statements:\n_iter _method my_object.even_elements\n_for a _over _self.elements\n_loop\n_if a.even?\n_is _true\n_then\n_loopbody(a)\n_endif\n_endloop\n_endmethod\n\n## Procedures\nMagik also supports functions called procedures.\nProcedures are also objects and are declared using the and statements.\nProcedures are assigned to variables which may then be invoked:\nmy_procedure << _proc @my_procedure(a, b, c) _return a + b + c _endproc\nx << my_procedure(1, 2, 3) # x = 6\n\n## Regular expression\nMagik supports // regular expression syntax:\n_if /Hello\\,\\s(\\w)+!/.matches?(\"Hello, Magik!\") _then\nwrite(\"Got a match!\")\n_endif\nand to capture groups in Regex:\n/sw([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).*/.replace_all(\"sw65456-324sss\", \"$1\") # \"65456\"\n/sw([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).*/.replace_all(\"sw65456-324sss\", \"$2\") # \"324\"\n\n## HTTP library\nMagik supports making HTTP or HTTPS requests via http library, see below examples:\nmagikhttp << http.new\nmagikhttp.url(\"https://www.google.com\").get\nmagikhttp.url(\"https://www.google.com\").post({\"User-agent\", \"Bot\"}, \"some data\")\n\n## Language quirks\nBecause Magik was originally developed in England, methods in the core smallworld libraries are spelled using [British English](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-english).\nFor example:\nUse \"initialise\", not \"initialize\".\n\n## Collections\nLike other programming language Magik too has collections.\nThey include the following:\n\n# Hello World example\nThe following is an example of the [Hello world program](https://bliptext.com/articles/hello-world-program) written in Magik:\nwrite(\"Hello World!\")","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-25T22:41:03.142Z","updated_at":"2025-01-25T22:41:03.142Z","search_vector":"'languag':3 'magik':1 'program':2","search_content":" \n \n\n# \n**Magik** is an [object-oriented programming](https://bliptext.com/articles/object-oriented-programming) language that supports [multiple inheritance](https://bliptext.com/articles/multiple-inheritance) and [polymorphism](https://bliptext.com/articles/polymorphism-computer-science), and it is [dynamically typed](https://bliptext.com/articles/dynamic-typing).\nIt was designed and implemented in 1989 by Arthur Chance of [Smallworld Systems Ltd.](https://bliptext.com/articles/smallworld) as part of Smallworld Geographical Information System (GIS).\nFollowing Smallworld's acquisition in 2000, Magik is now provided by [GE Energy](https://bliptext.com/articles/ge-energy), still as part of its Smallworld technology platform.\nMagik (Inspirational Magik) was originally introduced in 1990 and has been improved and updated over the years.\nIts current version is 5.2.\nIn July 2012, Magik developers announced that they were in the process of porting Magik language on the [Java virtual machine](https://bliptext.com/articles/java-virtual-machine).\nThe successful porting was confirmed by [Oracle Corporation](https://bliptext.com/articles/oracle-corporation) in November of the same year.\n\n# Similarities with Smalltalk\nMagik itself shares some similarities with [Smalltalk](https://bliptext.com/articles/smalltalk) in terms of its language features and its architecture: the Magik language is compiled into [byte codes](https://bliptext.com/articles/byte-code) interpreted by the Magik [virtual machine](https://bliptext.com/articles/virtual-machine).\nThe Magik virtual machine is available on several platforms including [Microsoft Windows](https://bliptext.com/articles/microsoft-windows), various flavours of [Unix](https://bliptext.com/articles/unix) and [Linux](https://bliptext.com/articles/linux).\nMagik is console based and code can be modified on the fly even when an application is running.\nThe console can also be used to execute Magik code and to see the results.\nCompiled code is stored in a single file called an image file.\nEach image file holds the compiled byte-codes and the state of the session (for example variable values) when the image was last saved.\n\n# Language features\n\n## Comments\nMagik uses the token to mark sections of code as comments:\n# This is a comment.\n\n## Assignments\nMagik uses the operator to make [assignments](https://bliptext.com/articles/assignment-computer-science):\na > s _endblock\nHere, the _while is combined with _loop and _endloop.\n_method my_object.my_method(_gather values)\ntotal << 0.0\n_for a _over values.elements\n_loop\ntotal +<< a _endloop\n_return total\n_endmethod\nm << my_object.new\nx << m.my_method(1.0, 2, 3.0, 4) # x = 10.0\nHere values.elements is an iterator which helps to iterate the values.\nIn Magik [generator](https://bliptext.com/articles/generator-computer-science) methods are called iterator methods.\nNew iterator methods can be defined using the and statements:\n_iter _method my_object.even_elements\n_for a _over _self.elements\n_loop\n_if a.even?\n_is _true\n_then\n_loopbody(a)\n_endif\n_endloop\n_endmethod\n\n## Procedures\nMagik also supports functions called procedures.\nProcedures are also objects and are declared using the and statements.\nProcedures are assigned to variables which may then be invoked:\nmy_procedure << _proc @my_procedure(a, b, c) _return a + b + c _endproc\nx << my_procedure(1, 2, 3) # x = 6\n\n## Regular expression\nMagik supports // regular expression syntax:\n_if /Hello\\,\\s(\\w)+!/.matches?(\"Hello, Magik!\") _then\nwrite(\"Got a match!\")\n_endif\nand to capture groups in Regex:\n/sw([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).*/.replace_all(\"sw65456-324sss\", \"$1\") # \"65456\"\n/sw([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).*/.replace_all(\"sw65456-324sss\", \"$2\") # \"324\"\n\n## HTTP library\nMagik supports making HTTP or HTTPS requests via http library, see below examples:\nmagikhttp << http.new\nmagikhttp.url(\"https://www.google.com\").get\nmagikhttp.url(\"https://www.google.com\").post({\"User-agent\", \"Bot\"}, \"some data\")\n\n## Language quirks\nBecause Magik was originally developed in England, methods in the core smallworld libraries are spelled using [British English](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-english).\nFor example:\nUse \"initialise\", not \"initialize\".\n\n## Collections\nLike other programming language Magik too has collections.\nThey include the following:\n\n# Hello World example\nThe following is an example of the [Hello world program](https://bliptext.com/articles/hello-world-program) written in Magik:\nwrite(\"Hello World!\")","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}

History