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Domain-specific language
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<p>A domain-specific language (DSL) is a <a href="/facts/Computer_language/n3L56qdP">computer language</a> specialized to a particular application <a href="/facts/Domain_(software_engineering)/NRnAyFlR">domain</a>. This is in contrast to a <a href="/facts/General-purpose_language/5sAqCRUs">general-purpose language</a> (GPL), which is broadly applicable across domains. There are a wide variety of DSLs, ranging from widely used languages for common domains, such as <a href="/facts/HTML/sSc3fT78">HTML</a> for web pages, down to languages used by only one or a few pieces of software, such as <a href="/facts/MUSH/oz898ptD">MUSH</a> soft code. DSLs can be further subdivided by the kind of language, and include domain-specific <a href="/facts/Markup_language/WwhlNVIu"><i>markup</i> languages</a>, domain-specific <a href="/facts/Modeling_language/9Nm6YLcR"><i>modeling</i> languages</a> (more generally, <a href="/facts/Specification_language/vqNInfdh">specification languages</a>), and domain-specific <a href="/facts/Programming_language/cWTYbgWa"><i>programming</i> languages</a>. Special-purpose computer languages have always existed in the computer age, but the term "domain-specific language" has become more popular due to the rise of <a href="/facts/Domain-specific_modeling/nmsBCfUF">domain-specific modeling</a>. Simpler DSLs, particularly ones used by a single application, are sometimes informally called mini-languages. </p><p>The line between general-purpose languages and domain-specific languages is not always sharp, as a language may have specialized features for a particular domain but be applicable more broadly, or conversely may in principle be capable of broad application but in practice used primarily for a specific domain. For example, <a href="/facts/Perl/fx31kjlT">Perl</a> was originally developed as a text-processing and glue language, for the same domain as <a href="/facts/AWK/lAQ0leyj">AWK</a> and <a href="/facts/Shell_script/NE7YvsBD">shell scripts</a>, but was mostly used as a general-purpose programming language later on. By contrast, <a href="/facts/PostScript/h2XwbcmC">PostScript</a> is a <a href="/facts/Turing-complete/73goop44">Turing-complete</a> language, and in principle can be used for any task, but in practice is narrowly used as a <a href="/facts/Page_description_language/aUNGG3uU">page description language</a>. </p>