The Zepton programming language is a Java syntax compatible programming language that has only a “program” construct. Zepton is from “zepto” the smallest measurable interval of time, so small, and the letter “N” for the Nth programming language--”zepto” + “N” or “Zepton” programming language.
Zepton is designed with only one new keyword: “prog” for a program. Java is object-oriented centric, which means everything is a class and that a class has to offer.
While Java is a very popular programming language, and is used to teach programming and software development, it has become a gargantuan programming language with the many features.
Zepton is intended for learning the syntax, statements, and concepts of Java--while being able to use all existing Java classes, libraries, packages, and frameworks. Also Zepton is useful for quick and dirty programming--without having to create an entire class.
The required, classic example is in Zepton:
package zepton.demo;
prog helloWorld {
do
println(“Hello World!!!”);
exit(0);
}
The equivalent Java verbose class is:
package zepton.demo;
import static java.lang.System;
public final class helloWorld extends Object {
private helloWorld(){}
public final static void main(final String[] args){
out.println(“Hello World!!!”);
exit(0);
}
}
Zepton allows a program to be written to implement functionality, but without the need for object-oriented features of code re-use. But Java code can be re-used in a Zepton program.
Zepton is not “Yet Another Programming Language” (YAPL) but a conceptual extension of the Java programming language--which has class, thread, enum, now outside an outside programming language that builds on Java with the program concept.