It can also be: x <- x + 1 x := x + 1 But I guess since assignment is more frequent than equality checks, most PL designers opt for using equals. I do like R

It can also be: x <- x + 1 x := x + 1 But I guess since assignment is more frequent than equality checks, most PL designers opt for using equals. I do like R's left arrow assignment operator. If only keyboards had a default arrow character key. It would completely get rid of a class of errors based on forgetting the second equals sign.