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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Symbolic programming</span></span>
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<p>In <a href="Computer_programming" title="Computer programming">computer programming</a>, <b>symbolic programming</b> is a <a href="Programming_paradigm" title="Programming paradigm">programming paradigm</a> in which the program can manipulate its own formulas and program components as if they were plain data.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>Through symbolic programming, complex processes can be developed that build other more intricate processes by combining smaller units of logic or functionality. Thus, such programs can effectively modify themselves and appear to "learn", which makes them better suited for applications such as <a href="Artificial_intelligence" title="Artificial intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>, <a href="Expert_systems" class="mw-redirect" title="Expert systems">expert systems</a>, <a href="Natural_language_processing" title="Natural language processing">natural language processing</a>, and computer games.
</p><p>Languages that support symbolic programming include <a href="Homoiconic" class="mw-redirect" title="Homoiconic">homoiconic</a> languages such as <a href="Wolfram_Language" title="Wolfram Language">Wolfram Language</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="LISP" class="mw-redirect" title="LISP">Lisp</a>, <a href="Prolog" title="Prolog">Prolog</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="Julia_(programming_language)" title="Julia (programming language)">Julia</a>.
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2></div>
<ul><li><a href="Symbolic_artificial_intelligence" title="Symbolic artificial intelligence">Symbolic artificial intelligence</a></li>
<li><a href="Symbolic_language_(programming)" title="Symbolic language (programming)">Symbolic language (programming)</a></li></ul>
<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>
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<li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">
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</style><cite id="CITEREFMichael_A._Covington2010" class="citation web cs1">Michael A. Covington (2010-08-23). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120307124013/http://www.ai.uga.edu/mc/LispNotes/FirstLectureOnSymbolicProgramming.pdf">"CSCI/ARTI 4540/6540: First Lecture on Symbolic Programming and LISP"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. University of Georgia. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ai.uga.edu/mc/LispNotes/FirstLectureOnSymbolicProgramming.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 2012-03-07<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2014-12-29</span></span>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.wolfram.com/language/for-experts/">Wolfram Language Notes for Programming Language Experts</a></span>
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<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.allbusiness.com/glossaries/symbolic-programming/4950308-1.html">"Symbolic programming on Business Glossary"</a>. <i>allbusiness.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2013-11-20</span></span>.</cite></span>
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