Exploring BoxLang: A Modern Scripting Language for the JVM!

The amazing CFML community leader Ray Camden recently shared his thoughts on BoxLang, a dynamic scripting language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). BoxLang is lightweight (only 6 MB) and doesn’t require Java knowledge, making it accessible to developers from all backgrounds. Whether you're building CLI scripts, web applications, or experimenting with serverless architecture, BoxLang has you covered.

Here's a small glimpse of what Ray had to say about BoxLang:

"BoxLang is a dynamic scripting language that runs on the JVM, and it’s one of the most fun things I’ve gotten to work with recently. With its open-source nature and lightweight design, BoxLang is ideal for a range of use cases, from simple CLI scripts to more complex serverless applications."

What is BoxLang?

BoxLang is an open-source scripting language designed for the JVM. It’s compatible with a wide range of environments, including Ubuntu and Windows. With a tiny footprint of just 6MB, BoxLang is both efficient and versatile.

Key Features of BoxLang:

• JVM Support: BoxLang runs on the Java Virtual Machine, making it compatible with a wide range of environments.
• Cross-Platform: Supports operating systems like Ubuntu and Windows.
• Lightweight: At just 6MB, BoxLang is incredibly efficient.
• Extensible: BoxLang can run via CLI, Docker, web contexts, and Lambda, with plans to expand to Microsoft Azure.

Creating a Fun CLI Tool with BoxLang:

One of the first projects you can try with BoxLang is building a CLI tool that fetches random Dad jokes using BoxLang's simple HTTP capabilities. This example shows how easy it is to interact with APIs and handle JSON responses within BoxLang.

Example Code:

function getDadJoke() {
	bx:http url="https://icanhazdadjoke.com/" result="local.result" {
		bx:httpparam type="header" name="Accept" value="application/json";
	};
	return jsonDeserialize(result.fileContent).joke;
}

writeOutput(getDadJoke());

Enhancing the CLI Tool with Search:

To make the tool more interactive, BoxLang supports search functionality through command-line arguments using cliGetArgs(). This enables users to search for specific jokes by passing terms via the CLI.

Example Search Code:

cliargs = cliGetArgs();
term = cliargs.positionals.reduce((result,item) => {
	if(item.listGetAt(1, "=") == "term") {
		return item.listGetAt(2, "=");
	}
	return "";
},"");

writeOutput(getDadJoke(term));

Why Choose BoxLang for Your Next Project?

BoxLang’s simplicity, speed, and seamless integration with existing JVM tools make it a great choice for a variety of use cases, including CLI scripts, serverless functions, and even web applications. With its easy-to-understand syntax and powerful capabilities, it’s an excellent language for developers of all experience levels.

To dive deeper into Ray’s full blog post and learn more about BoxLang,

Review Original Post

• Try BoxLang: https://try.boxlang.io
• Review BoxLang: https://boxlang.io

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