The Howdy Glossary

Scallop is a domain-specific programming language crafted for building parallel programs that tackle scientific computations, utilizing specialized notations to articulate parallel algorithms and data structures. It can compile Scallop code into diverse back-end languages like Fortran, C++, and CUDA, facilitating execution on various hardware architectures. This flexibility enables the creation of parallel programs for complex scientific calculations while simplifying the development process.

Scallop stands out due to its unique features tailored for expressing parallel algorithms and data structures within scientific computing. Its specialized notations enhance code clarity and efficiency by focusing specifically on the needs of this domain. Additionally, Scallop's ability to compile code into multiple back-end languages such as Fortran, C++, and CUDA allows execution across a wide range of hardware architectures, maximizing performance and offering significant versatility compared to general-purpose competitors like MPI (Message Passing Interface) and OpenMP (Open Multi-Processing), as well as other domain-specific languages like Chapel and X10.

Scallop targets researchers, scientists, and developers engaged in scientific computations requiring parallel programming. Its domain-specific approach streamlines the expression of complex calculations while enhancing development efficiency through clear notations tailored to scientific tasks. The ability to compile into various back-end languages ensures adaptable execution across different hardware platforms, making it an attractive tool for optimizing performance in parallel programming applications within the scientific community.