prolog
An embeddable ISO Prolog interpreter for Go with a database/sql-like API.
What is prolog?
ichiban/prolog is an embeddable ISO Prolog interpreter written in Go that allows developers to integrate logic programming capabilities directly into their Go applications. It solves the problem of adding declarative, rule-based reasoning to Go programs through a standards-compliant Prolog engine.
Go developers who need to embed logic programming capabilities, implement rule engines, or add declarative reasoning to their applications.
Developers choose ichiban/prolog for its strict ISO Prolog compliance combined with a Go-friendly API that mimics database/sql, making it uniquely approachable for Go programmers compared to other scripting engines.
Overview
The only reasonable scripting engine for Go.
Use Cases
Best For
- Embedding logic programming engines in Go applications
- Building rule-based systems in Go
- Adding declarative reasoning to Go backends
- Educational tools for teaching Prolog within Go environments
- Creating domain-specific languages with Prolog semantics
- Implementing sandboxed scripting environments in Go
Not Ideal For
- Applications requiring extensive GUI or web development libraries
- Teams already using Lua or JavaScript with established scripting ecosystems
- High-performance systems where interpreter overhead is unacceptable
- Simple tasks that could be solved with basic Go concurrency or data structures
Pros & Cons
Pros
Implements ISO/IEC 13211-1:1995, Prologue for Prolog, and DCG standards, ensuring reliable execution of standard Prolog code as highlighted in the README.
Uses a database/sql-like interface, making it intuitive for Go developers to embed and query Prolog programs seamlessly, similar to working with databases.
Supports sandboxing, custom predicates written in Go, and custom term types, allowing tailored logic environments as demonstrated in the examples.
Enables logic programming paradigms within Go, providing a unique approach for rule-based systems and reasoning compared to imperative scripting engines.
Cons
With only a few community extensions like predicates and kagomelog, it lacks the extensive library support of more popular scripting languages such as Lua or JavaScript.
As an embedded interpreter, it incurs runtime overhead compared to native Go code, making it less suitable for latency-sensitive or high-throughput applications.
Logic programming requires a mindset shift from imperative programming, which can be a barrier for teams unfamiliar with Prolog, limiting broader adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions
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