# syntax styles

# keywords and identifiers
there seem to be two extremes of keyword and identifier naming styles

* symbolic: languages that prefer special characters, combinations of special characters and abbreviations. examples: apl, mathematical notation, haskell, perl
* indicatory: languages that prefer words from the english language and alphanumeric characters. examples: coffeescript, scheme, ruby

# different ways to mark nesting
## keyword
example (vbscript)
~~~
if 3 = x then
  msgbox "test"
end if

for each a in list: msgbox a: next
~~~
benefit: quick to type

## bracket
example (c)
~~~
if (3 == x) {
  printf("test");
}

for (int i=1; i<array.size; i+=1) { printf("%u", array.data[index]); }
~~~
example (scheme)
~~~
(if (= 3 x)
  (display "test"))

(for-each display list)
~~~

## indent
example (coffeescript)
~~~
if 3 is x
  console.log "test"

list.forEach (a) -> console.log a
~~~
benefit: code written by different authors looks more similar, because they can not vary the placement of and whitespace around brackets a lot because few brackets are used

# operator placement style
## prefix
    + 1 2 3 4

## infix
    1 + 2 + 3 + 4

## suffix
    1 2 3 4 +