←back to thread

What is “literate programming”? (2024)

(pqnelson.github.io)
88 points joecobb | 1 comments | 02 Dec 25 19:56 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
forgotpwd16 ◴[07 Dec 25 13:37 UTC] No.46181593[source]▶
An interesting project I stumbled upon recently is AirLoom[0], essentially a reverse literate programming tool. Rather having code and prose interweaved (either Knuth-style code-within-prose or doc-style/as-comments prose-within-code), you've them split in dedicated in segment-annotated code and prose referencing those segments. AirLoom can then produce a combined document with references replaced by the actual code segments. This allows using a normal programming environment (not possible in first approach) and being order independent (not possible in second approach).

[0]: https://github.com/eudoxia0/airloom

replies(2): >>46182383 #>>46182499 #
1. PhilipRoman ◴[07 Dec 25 15:42 UTC] No.46182499[source]▶
Thanks for mentioning this. I built the same thing a year ago for myself in dozen lines of AWK. Looks like great minds think alike :)

In my opinion this is the most practical approach for real world projects. You get benefits like avoiding outdated documentation without huge upfront costs.