# Smalltalk

> programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q235086](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235086)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smalltalk)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/smalltalk

## Summary
Smalltalk is a class-based, object-oriented programming language created in 1972 by Alan Kay, Adele Goldberg, and others at Xerox PARC. It was designed as a dynamic, reflective language that pioneered modern graphical user interfaces and object-oriented programming concepts.

## Key Facts
- Created in 1972 by Alan Kay, Adele Goldberg, and the PARC team
- First standardized version (ANSI Smalltalk) released in 1998
- File extension: .st
- Influenced by Lisp, Simula 67, and Logo
- Influenced Java, Objective-C, and Python
- Uses dynamic and strong typing discipline
- Has 49 Wikipedia sitelinks across multiple languages
- Developed at Xerox PARC as part of the Dynabook project

## FAQs
### Q: What is Smalltalk used for?
A: Smalltalk is used for developing applications, particularly in educational and research contexts. It's known for rapid application development and is used in systems like Squeak and Pharo for everything from web applications to educational tools.

### Q: Who created Smalltalk?
A: Smalltalk was created by Alan Kay, Adele Goldberg, and the Learning Research Group at Xerox PARC in the early 1970s, with the first official version (Smalltalk-80) released in 1980.

### Q: How is Smalltalk different from other programming languages?
A: Smalltalk is unique for its pure object-oriented approach where everything is an object, its dynamic typing, and its integrated development environment. It pioneered concepts like the modern GUI, overlapping windows, and the mouse-driven interface.

## Why It Matters
Smalltalk revolutionized computer science by introducing the first true object-oriented programming language and development environment. It pioneered concepts that became fundamental to modern computing, including graphical user interfaces, windows, icons, and the mouse-driven interface. The language's influence extends far beyond its direct usage—it inspired the creation of major languages like Java, Objective-C, and Python. Smalltalk's integrated development environment concept became the template for modern IDEs. Its emphasis on simplicity, reflection, and live coding environments continues to influence programming language design and software development practices today.

## Notable For
- First true object-oriented programming language with pure object model
- Pioneered modern graphical user interface concepts including windows and icons
- Created the first integrated development environment (IDE)
- Influenced the design of major languages including Java, Objective-C, and Python
- Developed as part of the groundbreaking Dynabook educational computing vision

## Body
### Origins and Development
Smalltalk was developed at Xerox PARC between 1972 and 1980 as part of the Dynabook project, an educational computing initiative. The language was created by Alan Kay, Adele Goldberg, Dan Ingalls, Diana Merry, and others in the Learning Research Group.

### Technical Characteristics
Smalltalk is a purely object-oriented language where everything is an object, including primitive data types. It features dynamic typing, strong typing discipline, and reflection capabilities that allow programs to examine and modify their own structure and behavior at runtime.

### Versions and Standards
The language evolved through several versions, with Smalltalk-80 being the most influential. ANSI Smalltalk became the first standardized version in 1998, providing a formal specification for the language.

### Influence and Legacy
Smalltalk's concepts influenced virtually all modern object-oriented languages. Its development environment model became the template for modern IDEs. The language's emphasis on simplicity and live coding environments continues to influence programming language design and educational computing.

### Current Usage
While not as widely used as some contemporary languages, Smalltalk remains active through implementations like Squeak, Pharo, and VisualWorks. It's particularly valued in educational contexts and for rapid application development.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Smalltalk",
  "description": "A class-based, object-oriented programming language created in 1972 by Alan Kay, Adele Goldberg, and others at Xerox PARC.",
  "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smalltalk",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7833",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smalltalk"
  ],
  "additionalType": "programming language"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/muiseum/goldberg/goldberg_page.htm)
2. [Source](https://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/172)
3. [Source](https://lingualibre.fr/wiki/Q201043)
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
6. Quora
7. National Library of Israel
8. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)