Comparison of Prolog implementations

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The following Comparison of Prolog implementations provides a reference for the relative feature sets and performance of different implementations of the Prolog computer programming language. A comprehensive discussion of the most significant Prolog systems is presented in an article published in the 50-years of Prolog anniversary issue of the journal Theory and Practice of Logic Programming (TPLP). [1]

Contents

Portability

Prolog implementations and their mutual influences Prolog systems.svg
Prolog implementations and their mutual influences

There are Prolog implementations that are radically different, with different syntax and different semantics (e.g. Visual Prolog) [2] and sub-communities have developed around different implementations. [2]

Code that strictly conforms to the ISO-Prolog core language is portable across ISO-compliant implementations. However, the ISO standard for modules is an extension which was not fully adopted in most Prolog systems. [2] [1]

Factors that can adversely affect portability include: use of bounded vs. unbounded integer arithmetic, additional types such as string objects, advanced numeric types (rationals, complex), feature extensions such as Unicode, threads, and tabling. [3] Use of libraries unavailable in other implementations and library organisation: [2]

Currently, the way predicates are spread over the libraries and system built-ins differs enormously. [...] Fortunately, there are only few cases where we find predicates with the same name but different semantics (e.g. delete/3)

Main features

PlatformFeaturesToolkitProlog Mechanics
NameOSLicence
Native Graphics
Compiled Code
Unicode
Object Oriented
Native OS Control
Stand Alone Executable
C Interface [lower-alpha 1]
Java Interface [lower-alpha 1]
Interactive Interpreter
Debugger
Code Profiler
Syntax
AllegroProlog Unix, Windows, Mac OS X Proprietary (limited free edition available)YesYesYesYes, via LispYesYes, via LispYes, via LispYesYesYes, via LispS-expressions. Full Common Lisp integration.
BProlog Unix, Windows, Mac OS X Proprietary (free for non-commercial uses)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesISO-Prolog, plus event-handling, CLP(FD), and tabling
Ciao Unix, Windows, Mac OS X GPL, LGPL YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesISO-Prolog, plus extensions
DOS-Prolog [4] MS-DOS Proprietary YesYesYesYesYesYesEdinburgh Prolog
ECLiPSe Linux, Windows, Solaris, macOS MPL YesYesYesYesYesYesYesExtended Prolog, Multi-dialect, including ISO
GNU Prolog Unix, Windows, Mac OS X GPL, LGPL YesYesYesYesYesYesISO-Prolog
JIProlog JVM, Android AGPL (commercial support available)YesYesYes via JavaYesYes via JavaYesYesYesISO-Prolog
JLog [5] JVM GPL YesYesYesYesISO-Prolog
JScriptLog [5] Web Browser GPL YesISO-Prolog
jTrolog [6] JVM LGPL YesYesYesYesISO-Prolog
WIN-Prolog [7] Windows Proprietary YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesEdinburgh Prolog with extensions
Open Prolog Mac OS Freeware Yes
Poplog Prolog Linux (32- and 64-bit), Unix, Windows Free Open SourceOnly through POP-11, on LinuxYesYesYesYesYesYesEdinburgh Prolog, with interfaces to Poplog Common Lisp and Pop-11
Scryer Prolog Linux, Windows, macOS BSD License YesYesISO-Prolog
SICStus Prolog Unix, Linux, Windows, macOS Proprietary YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes ISO-Prolog
Strawberry Prolog Windows, Unix Freeware YesYesYesYesYesNot ISO-Prolog + extensions
SWI-Prolog Unix, Linux, Windows, macOS BSD License YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesISO-Prolog, Edinburgh Prolog
tuProlog JVM, Android LGPL YesYesYesYesYesYesISO-Prolog
Visual Prolog Windows Freeware YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
XSB Prolog Linux, Windows, Solaris, macOS LGPL YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesISO-Prolog, tabled WFS
YAP-Prolog Linux, Windows, Solaris, Mac OS X, HP-UX GPL or Artistic (user choice)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesEdinburgh, ISO-Prolog, Quintus and SICStus Prolog compatible
OS-relatedWeb-related
NameConditional compilationSocketsMulti-threadingTablingHTTP clientHTTP serverHTML ParserRDF Triple store
BProlog Yes
Ciao YesYesYesYesYesYesYes
ECLiPSe YesYesYesYesYes
GNU Prolog Yes
WIN-Prolog YesYesYesYes
Scryer Prolog YesYesYesYesYes
SICStus Prolog YesYesYes
SWI-Prolog YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Visual Prolog YesYesYesYesYesYes
XSB YesYesYesYesYes
YAP-Prolog YesYesYesYes

Static analysis

NameType checkerDeterminacy checkerCall-pattern checker
Ciao YesYesYes
GNU Prolog
SICStus Prolog Yes
SWI-Prolog Yes
Visual Prolog YesYesYes
XSB
YAP-Prolog

Optimizations

Name Tail-Call Optimization Choice Point EliminationEnvironment Trimming Just-in-Time Indexing
Ciao YesYesYes ?
ECLiPSe YesYesYesmulti-argument (compile time)
GNU Prolog YesYesYes
SICStus Prolog YesYesYes
SWI-Prolog YesYesYesYes
Visual Prolog Yes (compile time)Yes (compile time)N/AN/A (compile time)
XSB YesYesYes ?
YAP-Prolog YesYesYesYes

Release

NameVersionDate
AllegroProlog1.1.22018-12-12
BProlog 8.12014-02-23
JIProlog 4.1.7.12021-08-26
Ciao 1.222022-09-28
DOS-Prolog8.0
ECLiPSe 7.12023-01-01
GNU Prolog 1.5.02023-02-21
JLog 1.3.62007-09-13
JScriptLog 0.7.5 beta2007-09-10
jTrolog
WIN-Prolog8.02022-07-14
Open Prolog
Poplog PrologV162020-01-06
Scryer Prolog 0.9.32023-11-02
SICStus Prolog 4.9.02023-12-18
Strawberry Prolog 6.12023-08-23
SWI-Prolog 9.1.182023-11-01
tuProlog 2P-Kt 0.31.182023-10-24
Visual Prolog 10, Build 10002021-04-15
XSB Prolog5.02022-05-15
YAProlog 7.1.02020-12-19

Benchmarks

Notes

  1. 1 2 C/Java interface can also be used for graphics and OS control.

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References

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