32 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
32 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "GNU Data Language"
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chunk: 1/1
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source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Data_Language"
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category: "reference"
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tags: "science, encyclopedia"
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date_saved: "2026-05-05T10:11:38.334973+00:00"
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instance: "kb-cron"
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---
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The GNU Data Language (GDL) is a free alternative to IDL (Interactive Data Language), achieving full compatibility with IDL 7 and partial compatibility with IDL 8. Together with its library routines, GDL is developed to serve as a tool for data analysis and visualization in such disciplines as astronomy, geosciences, and medical imaging.
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GDL is licensed under the GPL. Other open-source numerical data analysis tools similar to GDL include Julia, Jupyter Notebook, GNU Octave, NCAR Command Language (NCL), Perl Data Language (PDL), R, Scilab, SciPy, and Yorick.
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GDL as a language is dynamically-typed, vectorized, and has object-oriented programming capabilities. GDL library routines handle numerical calculations (e.g. FFT), data visualisation, signal/image processing, interaction with host OS, and data input/output. GDL supports several data formats, such as NetCDF, HDF (v4 & v5), GRIB, PNG, TIFF, and DICOM. Graphical output is handled by X11, PostScript, SVG, or z-buffer terminals, the last one allowing output graphics (plots) to be saved in raster graphics formats. GDL features integrated debugging facilities, such as breakpoints. GDL has a Python bridge (Python code can be called from GDL; GDL can be compiled as a Python module). GDL uses the Eigen numerical library (similar to Intel MKL) to offer high computing performance on multi-core processors.
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Packaged versions of GDL are available for several Linux and BSD flavours as well as macOS. The source code compiles on Microsoft Windows and other UNIX systems, including Solaris.
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GDL is not an official GNU package.
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== See also ==
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Interpreter (computing)
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IDL (programming language)
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== References ==
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== External links ==
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Official website
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Running the GNU Data Language on coLinux
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GNU Data Language at Open Hub
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Linux packages: ArchLinux, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, Ubuntu,
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BSD/OSX ports: Fink, FreeBSD, Macports |