/[guile]/guile/guile-core/doc/ref/preface.texi
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74  @chapter Layout of this Manual  @chapter Layout of this Manual
75  @end ifnottex  @end ifnottex
76    
77  This manual is divided into five parts.  The manual is divided into three parts.
78    
79  @strong{Part I: Introduction to Guile} provides an overview of what  @strong{Part I: Introduction to Guile} provides an overview of what
80  Guile is and how you can use it.  A whirlwind tour shows how Guile can  Guile is and how you can use it.  A whirlwind tour shows how Guile can
81  be used interactively and as a script interpreter, how to link Guile  be used interactively and as a script interpreter, how to link Guile
82  into your own applications, and how to write modules of interpreted and  into your own applications, and how to write modules of interpreted and
83  compiled code for use with Guile.  All of the ideas introduced here are  compiled code for use with Guile.  Everything introduced here is
84  documented in full by the later parts of the manual.  documented again and in full by the later parts of the manual.  This
85    part also explains how to obtain and install new versions of Guile, and
86    how to report bugs effectively.
87    
88    @strong{Part II: Programming with Guile} documents all aspects of
89    practical programming using Guile.  This covers both the Scheme level
90    --- where we provide an introduction to the key ideas of the Scheme
91    language --- and use of Guile's @code{scm} interface to write new
92    primitives and objects in C, and to incorporate Guile into a C
93    application.  It also covers the use of Guile as a POSIX compliant
94    script interpreter, and how to use the Guile debugger.
95    
96    @c @strong{Part V: Extending Applications Using Guile} explains the options
97    @c available for using Guile as a application extension language.  At the
98    @c simpler end of the scale, an application might use Guile to define some
99    @c application-specific primitives in C and then load an application Scheme
100    @c file.  In this case most of the application code is written on the
101    @c Scheme level, and uses the application-specific primitives as an
102    @c extension to standard Scheme.  At the other end of the scale, an
103    @c application might be predominantly written in C --- with its main
104    @c control loop implemented in C --- but make occasional forays into Scheme
105    @c to, say, read configuration data or run user-defined customization code.
106    @c This part of the manual covers the complete range of application
107    @c extension options.
108    
109    @strong{Part III: Guile API Reference} documents Guile's core API.  Most
110    of the variables and procedures in Guile's core programming interface
111    are available in both Scheme and C, and are related systematically such
112    that the C interface can be inferred from the Scheme interface and vice
113    versa.  Therefore this part of the manual documents the Guile API in
114    functionality-based groups with the Scheme and C interfaces presented
115    side by side.  Where the Scheme and C interfaces for a particular
116    functional area do differ --- which is sometimes inevitable, given the
117    differences in the structure of the two languages --- this is pointed
118    out and explained.  In all cases the overriding principle is that all
119    the reference documentation for a given functional area is grouped
120    together.
121    
122    @c the core Scheme language and features that Guile implements.  Although
123    @c the basis for this is the Scheme language described in R5RS, this part
124    @c of the manual does not assume any prior familiarity with R5RS in
125    @c particular, or with Scheme in general.  Basic Scheme concepts, standard
126    @c aspects of the Scheme language and Guile extensions on top of R5RS are
127    @c all documented from scratch, and organized by functionality rather than
128    @c by the defining standards.
129    
130  @strong{Part II: Guile Scheme} documents the core Scheme language and  @strong{Part IV: Guile Modules} describes some important modules,
 features that Guile implements.  Although the basis for this is the  
 Scheme language described in R5RS, this part of the manual does not  
 assume any prior familiarity with R5RS in particular, or with Scheme in  
 general.  Basic Scheme concepts, standard aspects of the Scheme language  
 and Guile extensions on top of R5RS are all documented from scratch, and  
 organized by functionality rather than by the defining standards.  
   
 @strong{Part III: Guile Modules} describes some important modules,  
131  distributed as part of the Guile distribution, that extend the  distributed as part of the Guile distribution, that extend the
132  functionality provided by the Guile Scheme core.  Two important examples  functionality provided by the Guile Scheme core.  Two important examples
133  are:  are:
# Line 106  the SLIB module, which makes Aubrey Jaff Line 142  the SLIB module, which makes Aubrey Jaff
142  available for use in Guile.  available for use in Guile.
143  @end itemize  @end itemize
144    
 @strong{Part IV: Guile Scripting} documents the use of Guile as a script  
 interpreter, and illustrates this with a series of examples.  
   
 @strong{Part V: Extending Applications Using Guile} explains the options  
 available for using Guile as a application extension language.  At the  
 simpler end of the scale, an application might use Guile to define some  
 application-specific primitives in C and then load an application Scheme  
 file.  In this case most of the application code is written on the  
 Scheme level, and uses the application-specific primitives as an  
 extension to standard Scheme.  At the other end of the scale, an  
 application might be predominantly written in C --- with its main  
 control loop implemented in C --- but make occasional forays into Scheme  
 to, say, read configuration data or run user-defined customization code.  
 This part of the manual covers the complete range of application  
 extension options.  
   
 Finally, the appendices explain how to obtain the latest version of  
 Guile, how to install it, where to find modules to work with Guile, and  
 how to use the Guile debugger.  
   
145    
146  @iftex  @iftex
147  @section Manual Conventions  @section Manual Conventions

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