# Standard ML

> programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q597330](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q597330)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_ML)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/standard-ml

Here’s the structured knowledge entry for **Standard ML**:

---

## Summary  
Standard ML (SML) is a functional programming language that also supports procedural and modular programming paradigms. It is a dialect of ML, designed in 1983 with strong static typing and type inference. Primarily used in academic and research settings, SML emphasizes formal specification and correctness.

## Key Facts  
- **Inception**: 1983 (developed as a standardized version of ML).  
- **Developer**: Robin Milner (with contributions from others).  
- **Typing Discipline**: Static, strong, with type inference.  
- **Paradigms**: Functional, procedural, modular, and imperative programming.  
- **Influenced By**: ML (1973).  
- **File Extension**: `.sml` for source code files.  
- **Website**: [smlfamily.github.io](https://smlfamily.github.io/) (official documentation).  
- **Instance Of**: Dialect, functional programming language, interpreted language, procedural programming language.  
- **Dialect Of**: ML.  

## FAQs  
### Q: Is Standard ML still used today?  
A: Yes, primarily in academia and research for teaching programming language theory and formal methods, though its industrial use is limited.  

### Q: What makes Standard ML unique among functional languages?  
A: It combines rigorous static typing with type inference, modular programming features, and a formal specification, making it ideal for compiler research and correctness proofs.  

### Q: How does Standard ML differ from OCaml or Haskell?  
A: SML is simpler and more formally specified than OCaml, and unlike Haskell, it is not purely functional—it allows imperative programming.  

## Why It Matters  
Standard ML is significant for its role in advancing programming language theory and formal methods. Its design emphasizes mathematical rigor, making it a preferred tool for compiler construction and verification. SML’s modular system and type safety influenced later languages like OCaml and Haskell. While not widely adopted in industry, it remains a benchmark for teaching functional programming concepts and formal semantics. Its impact persists in academic circles, where it is used to explore language design and correctness.  

## Notable For  
- **Formal Specification**: One of the first languages with a complete formal definition.  
- **Type Inference**: Pioneered advanced static typing with minimal annotations.  
- **Modularity**: Introduced a sophisticated module system for code organization.  
- **Academic Influence**: Widely used in programming language research and education.  

## Body  
### Development and History  
- Standardized in 1983 as a successor to ML (1973).  
- Developed by Robin Milner and others, with contributions from academic institutions.  

### Technical Features  
- **Typing**: Static, strong, with type inference (no need for explicit type declarations in many cases).  
- **Paradigms**: Supports functional, procedural, and modular programming.  
- **Syntax**: Uses `.sml` file extensions for source code.  

### Related Languages  
- **Dialect Of**: ML (1973).  
- **Influenced**: OCaml, Haskell (indirectly through its type system and modular design).  

### Community and Resources  
- **Official Website**: [smlfamily.github.io](https://smlfamily.github.io/).  
- **GitHub Topic**: `standard-ml` (community projects and discussions).  

## Schema Markup  
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  "name": "Standard ML",
  "description": "A functional programming language and dialect of ML, known for its formal specification and type inference.",
  "url": "https://smlfamily.github.io/",
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## References

1. [Source](https://www.smlnj.org/sml97.html)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. Integrated Authority File
4. Quora