The Hecl Programming Language is a high-level scripting language implemented in Java. It is intended to be small, extensible, extremely flexible, and easy to learn and use.

Hecl is similar, but not identical, to Tcl. Its primary function is to serve as a small language for embedded systems such as Java ME, or Google's Android [1], but can be used anywhere that a Java-based scripting language would be convenient.

Hecl is available here: http://www.hecl.org

People interested in the design of Tcl might find Hecl an interesting project to look at, as it's smaller and more compact. This article discusses the design and implementation of Hecl:

http://www.welton.it/articles/hecl_implementation.html

Language hackers might find Hecl interesting because, as a smaller, newer, and less widely deployed language, there is more room to play with fundamental aspects of the language than with Tcl, which has many established users who would not look kindly radical language modifications.

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LES: Very similar to Tcl. If this thing makes it into OpenOffice, well, it's better than nothing (I really doubt that Tcl will ever make it).

davidw afaik, OO is scripted with some sort of visual basic like language, no? Not likely that anyone - Hecl, Tcl, Python, Perl or whatever - is going to displace that, or do I have my facts wrong?

LES: Python and Java have been incorporated: [2]. If Hecl runs on Java, it might stand a chance.

KJN: Jacl is Tcl implemented in Java: it might stand a chance too!

NEM: Regarding OO.org, see tcluno.

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2008-5-6: I made small open source command line app with Hecl, and made webpage with screenshots and instructions: http://www.xet7.org/heclcommandlineapp

Lauri Ojansivu

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