Is APL hard to read because of all the unusual symbols?

APL (A Programming Language) uses a unique set of symbols designed to express complex operations in a concise and powerful way. To a newcomer, these symbols can look intimidating — even like “line noise” — but to those who use APL regularly, they function much like mathematical notation: precise, elegant, and compact.

Once you learn the basic vocabulary of symbols, you’ll find that APL code can be more readable than traditional code — precisely because it removes the clutter of boilerplate and focuses on the core logic. For example, the APL expression +/⍳100000 calculates the sum of the first 100,000 integers. This is not only shorter than the equivalent loop in most languages, it’s often more efficient.

To help users get familiar with the symbols, tools like TryAPL provide an on-screen keyboard and a fully interactive, browser-based interpreter. Dyalog also offers a free Introduction to APL course, including symbol guides, tutorials, and exercises.

Additionally, modern APL fonts such as APL385 Unicode and input methods (like tab-completion in the IDE) make symbol entry and recognition easier than ever.