Ask HN: What's Prolog like in 2024?

Article summary

A computer science student is interested in learning more about Prolog and its applications, having been introduced to the language during their studies. They ask about the current state of Prolog in 2024 and its potential uses. The student is also interested in ontologies and knowledge representation. They are looking for information on how Prolog is being used in various fields and its potential for problem-solving.

Main themes

• Prolog programming
• Logic programming
• Knowledge representation
• Ontologies
• Artificial intelligence
• Programming languages

What commenters say

• Prolog has its interesting features, but its limitations and lack of practicality make it less desirable for real-world applications.
• Prolog's declarative approach to programming can be beneficial for certain problem domains, but its performance and brittleness can be drawbacks.
• Some argue that Prolog is not suitable for any problem domain, while others see its potential for exploratory work and prototyping.
• The development of new Prolog implementations, such as Scryer Prolog, may improve the language's performance and usability.
• Prolog can be used in combination with other languages and technologies, such as RDF/OWL and logic engines, to create more powerful systems.
• The choice of Prolog or other logic programming languages depends on the specific needs of the project and the trade-offs between generality, performance, and predictability.
• Some commentators believe that Prolog's potential is untapped and that it can be a powerful tool for problem-solving, while others are more skeptical about its practical applications.
• The community and library support for Prolog and its variants, such as SWI-Prolog and SICStus Prolog, are important factors in determining their practicality and usefulness.