Modular basis for expressions

We saw that Max can create code for us that looks very much like C++. There are some special cases, namely the gen domain, which we will see in Chapter 6, Low-level Patching in Gen, in which we can actually see and also export the code that Max is creating from our visual programming. You can think of Max as a high-level programming language in which we put together code we don't quite know. The details of this are both an advantage and a disadvantage of Max, but often, we won't care about the code itself.

We lose some control over what's actually happening, but there are lots of things we don't want to see and don't want to care about in typical multimedia programming. We usually don't want to deal with memory allocation when our aim is to quickly build a synthesizer, for example. A good tool for a certain task allows us to control all parameters that are of any interest for a certain task, not less and not more. For multimedia programming, Max is very close to this objective.

The real power of Max is in its modularity. Think of it like a basis, an infrastructure where you can not only patch but also embed text-oriented programming very easily. Numerous programming languages such as JavaScript, Java, Python, and others can be used within Max if we believe that a task requires these or is simply achieved quicker or better with a different approach than patching. Many people learned, for example, JavaScript simply because they wanted to improve their Max patching, so Max can serve you as a starting point to get into programming in general if you like, but only if you like. Of course, in general, it can be considered a good thing to be able to achieve a result in various ways by using different programming languages because you can always choose, and also because you have the opportunity to get many perspectives on programming methodology, problem solving, and problems themselves.