---
title: "Using the Wolfram Language"
language: "en"
type: "Workflow Guide"
summary: "Symbols and Functions . Working with Expressions . Natural-Language Operations . Working with Files . Formatting Output . Software Development . Errors and Debugging . Initialization & Termination . Managing Kernels . Managing Computational Resources . Using the Wolfram Language on the Command Line"
canonical_url: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/UsingTheWolframLanguage.html"
source: "Wolfram Language Documentation"
related_guides: 
  - 
    title: "Tuning & Debugging"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/TuningAndDebugging.en.md"
  - 
    title: "Parallel Computing"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/ParallelComputing.en.md"
  - 
    title: "File Operations"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/FileOperations.en.md"
  - 
    title: "Wolfram System Session History"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/WolframSystemSessionHistory.en.md"
  - 
    title: "Symbolic Execution History"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/SymbolicExecutionHistory.en.md"
  - 
    title: "Session Customization"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/SessionCustomization.en.md"
  - 
    title: "Messages"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/Messages.en.md"
  - 
    title: "Automated Reports"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/AutomatedReports.en.md"
  - 
    title: "Setting Persistent Values"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/InterpretingStrings.en.md"
  - 
    title: "Converting between Expressions & Strings"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/ConvertingBetweenExpressionsAndStrings.en.md"
---
Using the Wolfram Language

---

```wl
[Learn to Program](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/LearnToProgram.en.md)

[Use Wolfram Language Documentation](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/UseWolframLanguageDocumentation.en.md)

[Symbols and Functions](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/SymbolsAndFunctions.en.md)

[Find Help on a Function](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/FindHelpOnAFunction.en.md)

[Set Up Error Checking and Messages in a Function](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/SetUpErrorCheckingAndMessagesInAFunction.en.md)

[Persist Values between Sessions](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/PersistValuesBetweenSessions.en.md)

[…](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/SymbolsAndFunctions.en.md)
```

Working with Expressions

```wl
[Find the Underlying Tree Structure of an Expression](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/FindTheUnderlyingTreeStructureOfAnExpression.en.md)

[Find the Underlying Box Structure of a Formatted Expression](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/FindTheUnderlyingBoxStructureOfAFormattedExpression.en.md)

[Calculate with Units](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/CalculateWithUnits.en.md)
```

---

Natural-Language Operations

```wl
[Enter Free-Form Input](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/EnterFreeFormInput.en.md)

[Enter Quantities with Units](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/EnterQuantitiesWithUnits.en.md)
```

Working with Files

```wl
[Operate on Files in a Directory](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/OperateOnFilesInADirectory.en.md)

[Programmatically Generate a Report from a Template](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/ProgrammaticallyGenerateAReportFromATemplate.en.md)

[Formatting Output](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/FormattingOutput.en.md)

[Get Output in Traditional Textbook Form](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/GetOutputInTraditionalTextbookForm.en.md)

[Make a Grid of Output Data](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/MakeAGridOfOutputData.en.md)

[…](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/FormattingOutput.en.md)
```

---

```wl
[Software Development](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/SoftwareDevelopment.en.md)

[Create a Package File](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/CreateAPackageFile.en.md)

[Handle Code Symbolically](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/HandleCodeSymbolically.en.md)

[Automatically Use Separate Contexts for Different Notebooks](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/AutomaticallyUseSeparateContextsForDifferentNotebooks.en.md)

[Find the Execution Time for an Evaluation](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/FindTheExecutionTimeForAnEvaluation.en.md)

[…](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/SoftwareDevelopment.en.md)

[Errors and Debugging](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/ErrorsAndDebugging.en.md)

[Understand Error Messages](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/UnderstandErrorMessages.en.md)

[Get a Stack Trace](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/GetAStackTrace.en.md)

[…](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/ErrorsAndDebugging.en.md)
```

---

```wl
[Initialization & Termination](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/InitializationAndTermination.en.md)

[Set Up an Initialization Cell](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/SetUpAnInitializationCell.en.md)

[Set Up Initialization for a Symbol](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/SetUpInitializationForASymbol.en.md)

[…](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/InitializationAndTermination.en.md)

[Managing Kernels](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/ManagingKernels.en.md)

[Run a Computation in Parallel](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/RunAComputationInParallel.en.md)

[…](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/ManagingKernels.en.md)
```

Managing Computational Resources

```wl
[Get Information on System Configuration](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/GetInformationOnSystemConfiguration.en.md)

[Limit the Amount of History Stored in the System](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/LimitTheAmountOfHistoryStoredInTheSystem.en.md)

[Run a Computation in Parallel](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/RunAComputationInParallel.en.md)

[Using the Wolfram Language on the Command Line](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/UsingTheWolframLanguageOnTheCommandLine.en.md)

[Run Wolfram Language Code from the Command Line](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/RunWolframLanguageCodeFromTheCommandLine.en.md)

[Deploy and Use a Cloud-Based API on the Command Line](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/DeployAndUseACloudBasedAPIOnTheCommandLine.en.md)

[…](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflowguide/UsingTheWolframLanguageOnTheCommandLine.en.md)
```

Related Guides

[Tuning & Debugging](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/TuningAndDebugging.en.md)

[Parallel Computing](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/ParallelComputing.en.md)

[File Operations](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/FileOperations.en.md)

[Wolfram System Session History](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/WolframSystemSessionHistory.en.md)

[Symbolic Execution History](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/SymbolicExecutionHistory.en.md)

[Session Customization](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/SessionCustomization.en.md)

[`Messages`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/Messages.en.md)

[Automated Reports](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/AutomatedReports.en.md)

[Setting Persistent Values](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/InterpretingStrings.en.md)

[Converting between Expressions & Strings](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/ConvertingBetweenExpressionsAndStrings.en.md)