# Factor

> programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q1391724](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1391724)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factor_(programming_language))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/factor

Here’s the structured knowledge entry for **Factor** based on the provided source material:

---

## Summary  
Factor is a stack-oriented, concatenative programming language designed by Slava Pestov in 2003. It is influenced by languages like Joy, Forth, Lisp, and Self, and supports multiple paradigms, including functional and dynamic typing. Factor is open-source, licensed under BSD, and is known for its strong typing and unique approach to code composition.

## Key Facts  
- **Created by**: Slava Pestov (Russian programmer, born March 3, 1984)  
- **Inception**: 2003  
- **Latest stable version**: 0.101 (released December 9, 2025)  
- **License**: BSD licenses  
- **Influenced by**: Joy, Forth, Lisp, Self  
- **Typing discipline**: Strong typing, dynamic typing  
- **Programming paradigms**: Multi-paradigm (functional, concatenative, stack-oriented)  
- **Website**: [factorcode.org](https://factorcode.org)  
- **Source code**: Hosted on [GitHub](https://github.com/factor/factor)  

## FAQs  
### Q: What is Factor used for?  
A: Factor is a general-purpose programming language suited for systems programming, scripting, and research due to its stack-oriented and concatenative design.  

### Q: Who created Factor?  
A: Factor was designed by Slava Pestov, a Russian programmer known for his work on programming languages and development tools.  

### Q: Is Factor still actively developed?  
A: Yes, Factor has regular releases, with the latest stable version (0.101) published in December 2025.  

## Why It Matters  
Factor stands out for its unique concatenative and stack-oriented approach, blending ideas from languages like Forth and Lisp. It emphasizes code reusability and composability, making it valuable for experimental programming and language research. Its BSD license encourages open-source contributions, and its influence on modern language design highlights its niche yet significant role in programming paradigms.  

## Notable For  
- **Stack-oriented design**: Unlike most languages, Factor relies heavily on stack manipulation for operations.  
- **Multi-paradigm support**: Combines functional, concatenative, and dynamic typing features.  
- **Open-source and BSD-licensed**: Encourages community-driven development.  
- **Influenced by niche languages**: Draws from Joy, Forth, and Self, offering a distinct alternative to mainstream languages.  

## Body  
### Development History  
- Created in 2003 by Slava Pestov.  
- Latest stable release: **0.101** (December 9, 2025).  

### Technical Features  
- **Typing**: Strong and dynamic typing.  
- **Paradigms**: Functional, concatenative, stack-oriented.  
- **File formats**: Uses `.factor` for source code.  

### Influences  
- Inspired by **Joy**, **Forth**, **Lisp**, and **Self**.  

### Distribution  
- Available via package managers like MacPorts (`factor`), Chocolatey (`factor`), and AUR (`factor-git`).  

## Schema Markup  
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Factor",
  "description": "A stack-oriented, concatenative programming language designed by Slava Pestov.",
  "url": "https://factorcode.org",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1393019",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factor_(programming_language)"
  ],
  "additionalType": "ProgrammingLanguage"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://www.openhub.net/p/factor/analyses/latest/languages_summary)
2. [Source](https://github.com/factor/factor/releases/tag/0.98)
3. [Source](https://github.com/factor/factor/releases/tag/0.99)
4. [Release 0.94. 2018](https://github.com/factor/factor/releases/tag/similar-0.94)
5. [Release 0.95. 2018](https://github.com/factor/factor/releases/tag/similar-0.95)
6. [Release 0.96. 2018](https://github.com/factor/factor/releases/tag/similar-0.96)
7. [Release 0.97. 2018](https://github.com/factor/factor/releases/tag/0.97)
8. [Release 0.100. 2024](https://github.com/factor/factor/releases/tag/0.100)
9. [Release 0.101. 2025](https://github.com/factor/factor/releases/tag/0.101)
10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
11. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)