Questions on the correct (or improved) formulation of Mathematica code to achieve particular results. Use this tag (not "symbol") for questions about all those odd @@ /@ # & and _ characters, which are keyboard shortcuts for the Wolfram Language named functions Apply, Map, Slot, Function, and Blank.
Syntax refers to the rules of how to construct well formed Mathematica-code. Syntax is primarily not about the meaning of the code but is about whether Mathematica understands the input or not. Questions about built-in operators and other special characters of Mathematica, argument order for functions and the proper use of functions and symbols should use this tag.
Questions about the syntax highlighter might use the tag front-end. Questions about introducing custom syntax should use the tag custom-notation. Questions about the handling, removing, generating and passing of symbols (labels for data) should use the tag symbol.
Useful Links:
- Overview tutorial on Mathematica syntax
- A list of (almost) all Mathematica syntax
- Mathematica syntax with non ASCII characters
- Common syntax mistakes
Some of the more common syntax and special operators
- Apply (
@@and@@@) - Map (
/@) and MapAll (//@) - Prefix (
@), Infix (~) and Postfix (//) - ReplaceAll (
/.) and ReplaceRepeated (//.) - Rule (
->) and RuleDelayed (:>) - Set (
=) and SetDelayed (:=) (for more variations, see Assignments) - Slot (
#), SlotSequence (##) and Function (&) for defining pure functions - Blank (
_), BlankSequence (__), BlankNullSequence (___) and PatternTest (?) (for more, see Patterns)
