{"product_id":"metaprogramming-in-prolog-jason-j-reed-9798274421430","title":"Metaprogramming in Prolog: Practical Patterns for Writing Programs that Understand and Modify Themselves","description":"\u003cp\u003eHave you ever felt \"stuck\" in Prolog? Maybe you've mastered the basics, but your programs have become repetitive, or you've run into a problem that seems to require a level of abstraction you can't quite reach. When you read about metaprogramming, it might seem like a \"dark art\"-a set of dangerous, confusing, and \"unclean\" techniques to be avoided.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is here to turn that \"magic\" into \"mastery.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI'll start you with the simple \"mechanic\" analogy. Most programmers are like mechanics, following a blueprint (your code) to build a car (your process). This book will teach you how to become the \"roboticist\"-the one who writes programs that analyze, fix, and \u003ci\u003ewrite new blueprints\u003c\/i\u003e automatically.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat's inside\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is structured as a journey through a series of powerful patterns, each building on the last. You will learn to: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMaster the \"Metaprogrammer's Toolbox\"\u003c\/b\u003e: Understand the built-in predicates like clause\/2, functor\/3, arg\/3, and call\/N that make it all possible.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBuild Your First \"Code-Walker\"\u003c\/b\u003e: Write a program that can recursively traverse \u003ci\u003eany\u003c\/i\u003e piece of code to find variables or check for \"code smells.\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eHandle Dynamic Execution Safely\u003c\/b\u003e: Learn the patterns (and the critical pitfalls) of call\/1, including how to build a secure \"Command Dispatcher\" or REPL.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eImplement Self-Modifying Code\u003c\/b\u003e: Use assert\/1 and retract\/1 for the \u003ci\u003eright\u003c\/i\u003e reasons, like building a high-speed cache (memoization) or managing program state.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWrite \"Source-to-Source\" Transformers\u003c\/b\u003e: Build programs that read a .pl file, transform it, and write a new one-the core pattern for building optimizers and refactoring tools.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCreate Your Own \"Language\" (DSL)\u003c\/b\u003e: Use term_expansion\/2 and goal_expansion\/2 to build a Domain-Specific Language, like a simple object system, that compiles \u003ci\u003eitself\u003c\/i\u003e into efficient Prolog.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBuild a Capstone Project\u003c\/b\u003e: Combine all these skills to build a \"smarter\" tracer, a tool that can selectively trace your code, filtering out all the noise.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cb\u003eWho it's meant for\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is \u003cb\u003enot\u003c\/b\u003e for the absolute beginner. It is for \u003ci\u003eyou\u003c\/i\u003e-the intermediate Prolog programmer, the student, the developer, or the hobbyist who has learned the basics and is now asking, \"What's next?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's for anyone who wants to: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuild smarter, more abstract tools.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWrite code that is less repetitive.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstand how compilers, linters, and advanced DSLs \u003ci\u003ereally\u003c\/i\u003e work.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinally \"level up\" and unlock the full, expressive power of Prolog.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe difference between a good Prolog programmer and a great one is the understanding of metaprogramming. Don't just \u003ci\u003euse\u003c\/i\u003e the language; it's time to \u003ci\u003emaster\u003c\/i\u003e it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStop just writing code. Start building programs that \u003ci\u003edesign\u003c\/i\u003e code.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdd \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMetaprogramming in Prolog\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e to your cart and start your journey to becoming the architect, not just the mechanic.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Jason J. Reed\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798274421430\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/13\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 196\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.71lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.61h x 6.69w x 0.42d","brand":"Jason J. Reed","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48437585576191,"sku":"9798274421430","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_e03c0792-9fb9-4ee7-aabf-903486c336a2.jpg?v=1777162732","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/metaprogramming-in-prolog-jason-j-reed-9798274421430","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}