# Sather

> object-oriented programming language similar to Eiffel

**Wikidata**: [Q602012](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q602012)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sather)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sather

## Summary
Sather is an object-oriented programming language similar to Eiffel, characterized by its strong, static typing discipline. It was designed in 1990 by the American computer scientist Steve Omohundro and is currently developed by the GNU Project. The language supports multiple paradigms, including functional programming, and is available as free software under the GNU General Public License.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Sather is an object-oriented programming language that also supports functional programming paradigms.
- **Created:** The language was inceptioned in 1990.
- **Designer:** It was designed by Steve Omohundro, an American scientist and artificial intelligence researcher born in 1959.
- **Developer:** The language is developed by the GNU Project.
- **Typing:** It utilizes a strong and static typing discipline.
- **License:** Sather is licensed under the GNU General Public License, version 3.0.
- **Naming:** The language is named after Sather Tower.
- **Latest Version:** Version 1.2.3 was released on July 7, 2007.
- **Repository:** The source code is maintained in a GNU Bazaar repository at http://bzr.savannah.gnu.org/lh/sather/trunk/files.
- **Official Site:** The project website is located at https://www.gnu.org/software/sather/.

## FAQs
### Q: Who created the Sather programming language?
A: Sather was designed by Steve Omohundro, an American computer scientist and artificial intelligence researcher, in 1990.

### Q: What are the main programming paradigms supported by Sather?
A: Sather is primarily an object-oriented programming language, but it also supports functional programming. It is noted for being similar to the Eiffel language.

### Q: Is Sather free to use?
A: Yes, Sather is free software. It is developed by the GNU Project and released under the GNU General Public License, version 3.0.

### Q: What type of typing discipline does Sather use?
A: Sather employs strong typing and static typing, ensuring that type consistency is enforced at compile-time.

## Why It Matters
Sather represents a significant effort in the evolution of object-oriented programming languages, offering a robust alternative to Eiffel with added support for functional programming paradigms. Developed by AI researcher Steve Omohundro, it bridges the gap between rigorous software engineering principles and flexible coding practices. Its inclusion in the GNU Project highlights its role in the free software ecosystem, providing developers with a tool that emphasizes type safety and performance without licensing costs. By combining strong, static typing with object-oriented structures, Sather addresses the need for reliable and maintainable code in complex software development projects. The language serves as a historical marker for multi-paradigm design in the early 1990s, influencing how subsequent languages integrated functional features into object-oriented frameworks.

## Notable For
- Being an early adopter of multi-paradigm features, combining object-oriented and functional programming.
- Its strong and static typing discipline, which distinguishes it from dynamically typed scripting languages.
- Originating from the work of Steve Omohundro, a prominent figure in artificial intelligence.
- Its status as an official GNU Project package, ensuring it remains free and open-source software.
- Deriving its name from a physical landmark, Sather Tower, rather than an acronym or technical term.

## Body
### Origin and Design
Sather is an object-oriented programming language that was inceptioned in 1990. It was designed by Steve Omohundro, an American scientist born in 1959 who is also known for his work in artificial intelligence. The language is named after Sather Tower. It is explicitly described as being similar to Eiffel in its approach to object-oriented design.

### Technical Specifications
The language features a typing discipline that is both strong and static. While it is fundamentally an object-oriented language, it incorporates elements of functional programming.
- **Paradigms:** Object-oriented programming, Functional programming.
- **Typing:** Static typing, Strong typing.
- **NetBSD Package:** The language is available in the NetBSD package system as `lang/sather`.

### Development and Distribution
Sather is developed and maintained by the GNU Project. It is classified as free software under the GNU General Public License, version 3.0.
- **Current Version:** The latest recorded version is 1.2.3, which was released on July 7, 2007.
- **Source Code:** The source code is accessible via a GNU Bazaar repository hosted at `http://bzr.savannah.gnu.org/lh/sather/trunk/files`.
- **Website:** The official project website is `https://www.gnu.org/software/sather/`.
- **Directory Entry:** It is listed in the Free Software Directory as "Sather".

## References

1. [Source](https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/sather)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013