Programming in a precise syntax using natural language

One or more tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage media, storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to:

• receive, via a user interface device, user input for inclusion in a workspace document within a graphical user interface of a software development application that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, is configured to evaluate instructions in a precise syntax;
• after receiving the user input, display, on a display device, the user input in the workspace document;
• determine whether at least a portion of the user input i) is in the precise syntax, or ii) is in an imprecise syntax;
• in response to determining that at least the portion of the user input is in the precise syntax, evaluate at least the portion of the user input according to the precise syntax;
• in response to determining that at least the portion of the user input is in the imprecise syntax,
• generate an application programming interface (API) call that includes i) the at least the portion of the user input in the imprecise syntax, and ii) other information within the workspace document that provide context for a natural language processing (NLP) system, implemented by the one or more computer processors or one or more other computer processors, to interpret the at least the portion of the user input in the imprecise syntax, wherein the API call is configured to:
• prompt the NLP system to process the at least the portion of the user input in the imprecise syntax and the other information within the workspace document in the API call to determine an instruction in the precise syntax that corresponds to the user input in the imprecise syntax, and to format the instruction in the precise syntax according to a format recognized by the software development application, wherein the instruction in the precise syntax is for generating a modification of a result of a previous evaluation;
• send the API call to the NLP system, receive the instruction in the precise syntax from the NLP system, wherein receiving the instruction in the precise syntax from the NLP system is responsive to sending the API call to the NLP system, and
• include the instruction in the precise syntax in the workspace document such that the software development application executed by the one or more computer processors can evaluate the instruction in the precise syntax.

A system, comprising:

• one or more computer processors;
• one or more tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage media storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to:
• receive, via a user interface device, user input for inclusion in a workspace document within a graphical user interface of a software development application that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, is configured to evaluate instructions in a precise syntax, after receiving the user input, display, on a display device, the user input in the workspace document, determine whether at least a portion of the user input i) is in the precise syntax, or
• ii) is in an imprecise syntax, and
• in response to determining that at least the portion of the user input is in the precise syntax, evaluate at least the portion of the user input according to the precise syntax;
• wherein the one or more tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage media further store machine readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more processors to:
• in response to determining that at least the portion of the user input is in the imprecise syntax,
• generate an application programming interface (API) call that includes i) the at least the portion of the user input in the imprecise syntax, and ii) other information within the workspace document that provide context for a natural language processing (NLP) system, implemented by the one or more computer processors or one or more other computer processors, to interpret the at least the portion of the user input in the imprecise syntax, wherein the API call is configured to:
• prompt the NLP system to process the at least the portion of the user input in the imprecise syntax and the other information within the workspace document in the API call to determine an instruction in the precise syntax that corresponds to the user input in the imprecise syntax, and to format the instruction in the precise syntax according to a format recognized by the software development application, wherein the instruction in the precise syntax is for generating a modification of a result of a previous evaluation;
• send the API call to the NLP system, receive the instruction in the precise syntax from the NLP system, wherein receiving the instruction in the precise syntax from the NLP system is responsive to sending the API call to the NLP system, and
• include the instruction in the precise syntax in the workspace document such that the software development application executed by the one or more computer processors can evaluate the instruction in the precise syntax.