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LOOP (programming language)
open-in-new
<p>LOOP is a simple register language that precisely captures the <a href="/facts/Primitive_recursive_function/4z97gRnl">primitive recursive functions</a>. The language is derived from the <a href="/facts/Counter-machine_model/MwE2kwvV">counter-machine model</a>. Like the <a href="/facts/Counter_machine/FBxEgPld">counter machines</a> the LOOP language comprises a set of one or more unbounded <i>registers</i>, each of which can hold a single non-negative integer. A few arithmetic instructions (like 'CleaR', 'INCrement', 'DECrement', 'CoPY', ...) operate on the registers. The only <a href="/facts/Control_flow/2XTDfErC">control flow</a> instruction is 'LOOP x DO <i>...</i> END'. It causes the instructions within its scope to be repeated x times. (Changes of the content of register x during the execution of the loop do not affect the number of passes.) </p>