development
From birth Rexx, IBM Rexx will be added to the various versions of its operating system - and then to the end-user operating system from the host to medium-sized machines, such as OS / 2 and PC-DOS. Other OS manufacturers such as Amiga, will come as always available Rexx integrated system scripting language. In addition, many independent software developers to create the Rexx environment for many platforms. A little later, ANSI Rexx in 1996 formally adopted a standard.
The current (especially on Linux or BSD originated in the OS), most of those early Rexx implementations, primarily as a historical footprint for the people concerned. However, two currently held Rexx implementations may be used include Linux, MacOSX and Windows platforms, including many: Regina and NetRexx. Regina is a local executable files, software source code in order to free the way, or get as many platforms precompiled way - you can install like any other language interpreter as install it. NetRexx is an interesting "mixture." This language is derived from ordinary Rexx. Jython or more similar Jacl, NetRexx Rexx similar to compile the source code to Java byte code, and (optionally) running in the JVM .class files generated as a result.
NetRexx is an IBM project for the Java Virtual Machine compiler like Rexx code. In the actual programming ability and level, Rexx closest to bash plus GNU file utility (plus grep and sed); or may be equivalent to awk or Perl. Of course, Python, Ruby or Java, with respect, Rexx feel more fast and rough. Rexx lengthy - or, more should be said is that simple - like Perl, Python, Ruby or TCL. And, Rexx is of course completely Turing, supporting modules and structured programming, there are libraries for specialized tasks, such as GUI interfaces, network programming and database access. But it is the most natural goal is to automate paper processing tasks and system scripts. Together with the shell script, Rexx such that the control application is very natural and obvious; however, with respect to the bash (or tcsh, ksh, etc.), Rexx contains a richer set of control structures and built (text processing) functions.
on the stylistic, Rexx the IBM / mainframe roots reflected in its case-sensitive command; to some extent, reflect its secondary punctuation relatively small (more keywords used rather than symbols). I tend to think that the purpose of these features is to improve readability; but this depends largely on personal preferences.
language features
floating decimal point arithmetic: accurately calculated and calculates a number of 0.1 or the like.
Rexx a very high-level scripting language, especially powerful tool for text processing tasks.
Language composition
REXX basic instructions and consists of two parts, built-in functions, in addition REXX under TSO / E environment provides the data stack functions and external functions and so on.