Setl Programming Language
Posted2 months agoActive2 months ago
en.wikipedia.orgTechstory
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Programming LanguagesSetlComputer Science History
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Programming Languages
Setl
Computer Science History
The SETL programming language is introduced through a Wikipedia link, sparking a discussion about its features and historical significance among HN users.
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Oct 27, 2025 at 7:10 AM EDT
2 months ago
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Discussion (5 comments)
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compsciphd
2 months ago
1 replyisetl was what we used for my discrete math course 20 years ago or so. I remember other students complaining about having to learn it. "when are we going to use this language".
cluster_fsck
2 months ago
Same and I hated it, tbh (but my experience was like 30 years ago). My prof insisted all work be done in SETL and did a terrible job of actually introducing us to the language, yet we had to submit our work as SETL code. Like, yay set theory, but I learned more implementing my homework in C and SmallTalk.
usgroupAuthor
2 months ago
Doing Advent of Code 2025 in SETL this year.
pjmlp
2 months ago
Another good example of how languages were already progressing during the 1960's.
redsymbol
2 months ago
This is where list comprehensions came from! Like we have in modern Python, Haskell and more. SETL was the first language to use comprehensions in its core syntax.
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ID: 45719614Type: storyLast synced: 11/20/2025, 2:33:22 PM
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