Meta-Programming ...!

The more I learned about it, The more I loved it. I have been in touch with Coding for last 26 years. Unfortunately, got in touch with Meta-Programming just 2 years back. At first it was kind a bouncer, and sooner things started changing my perception. We always been taught that there are 2 parts in Coding:

1. Data
2. Code

And code's job is to work on Data to create the value, required to solve the Problem in hand.

But just image, if language creates it's Code as Data as well. Just think, there is Data and there is another Data( which is Code ), what does code do it manipulate the Data. So, now our Code is Data as well, that means as code can manipulate Data, and Code itself is Data. we get into the world where our code can manipulate the code itself. It can change it, it can make it, it can do whatever we like to do.

That's the world of Meta Programming. which actually opens the whole new world of infinite Power, at the same time the whole new world of complexity. Let me tell you, when I say a world of high Complexity, it would be a understatement. why..?

when I started coding, my Guru, told me there are 2 kinds of error you stuck into. one is syntax error and another is logical error. For Syntax error, you need to be very well learn the rules of the language. and for logical error, he taught me a magical tool "Dry-run" which is very straight forward you execute line by line your own code in your mind and keep updating things as per each execution and you get to the issue why the output is not the way it is expected. Pretty simple right..! But there is one condition, you need to have the code in front of you on which you do a Dry-run. Now, lets just image in world on Meta-Programming. Your Code writes the Code. and that Code which Code has written is not in front of you. How the Hell am I going to run the Dry-run. People call it Ghost Code. That's why I said High Complexity is just the understatement. But I don't know why..!! But I love it... I cannot even resist to love this idea of Ghost Code...

if you love Ghosts, love to hunt them down.... Meta-Programming is for you...!

Share some Use-cases, which cannot be solved without Meta-Programming, or Just wait for my another Article on Hunting Ghosts...