The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →For a practical start with Standard ML, begin with the official SML/NJ User’s Guide, then use the SML/NJ literature index to choose further tutorials. For worked examples, try SML Help; for a book-length free introduction, read Robert Harper’s Programming in Standard ML. You can practice with SML/NJ or MLton: both are implementations of the language, with distinct documentation and workflows.
Which free Standard ML tutorial should you start with?
Start with the SML/NJ User’s Guide if you want to learn the language while using an actual Standard ML environment. SML/NJ describes itself as a compiler, interactive system, and programming environment for Standard ML, and its guide is intended as a partial introduction for new users. It is a useful first route, not a claim that one guide covers every topic.
As you read, write small programs and run them in your chosen implementation. When you meet an unfamiliar language feature or library function, consult a focused guide or reference rather than trying to absorb every resource at once.
Free tutorials and learning resources compared
| Resource | Format and emphasis | Useful for | Implementation context |
|---|---|---|---|
| SML/NJ User’s Guide | Introductory guide for new users | A practical first encounter with Standard ML | Uses the SML/NJ environment |
| SML/NJ literature index | Directory of tutorials, notes, lectures, and books | Finding another format or level after getting started | Individual materials may assume different contexts |
| SML Help | Guides, references, concepts, and worked examples | Learning through examples or checking a specific topic | Check each example against the implementation you use |
| Robert Harper, Programming in Standard ML | Online book-length introduction | Readers who prefer sustained, book-like study | Consult the book’s own presentation when matching examples to a tool |
| MLton documentation and Standard ML resources | Installation and compiler documentation, language and Basis Library material | Running examples with MLton and looking up its documented tools and library coverage | Uses MLton’s workflow |
Use the SML/NJ literature page to choose a second resource
The literature index is a gateway rather than a single course. It lists resources by authors including Robert Harper, Riccardo Pucella, Mads Tofte, and Stephen Gilmore, with formats such as notes, tips, lectures, and a Standard ML ’97 tutorial. Use it to select the style that suits your next question: a different explanation, lecture material, or a more structured text.
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The index also names textbooks for readers who want a longer course of study. It describes Paulson’s ML for the Working Programmer as assuming somewhat more programming experience than Ullman’s Elements of ML Programming, and says either is adequate for learning the language. A book is optional; you can begin with the free online materials above.
When SML Help or Harper’s book is a better fit
Choose SML Help for examples and focused explanations
SML Help organizes SML-focused guides, type-system and functional-programming material, and worked examples. It can be particularly useful when you want to connect a concept to code or look up a topic without following a book from the first page.
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Choose Harper for book-length study
Harper’s Programming in Standard ML is available as an online book. It suits readers who prefer a continuous, book-style introduction over browsing a directory of separate resources. Use it alongside practice rather than treating reading alone as a substitute for running programs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose an implementation to run your examples
Standard ML is the language; SML/NJ and MLton are separate implementations. Their documentation covers different workflows, so there is no evidence-based universal winner for every learner. Start with the implementation assumed by the tutorial you are following, then check its official instructions if you switch tools.
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- SML/NJ: Its official site describes it as a compiler for Standard ML ’97 with associated libraries, tools, and documentation. The User’s Guide provides an introductory route in that environment. The SML/NJ homepage listed development release 2026.2 as available on 2026-08-14 and legacy release 110.99.9 as its stable release at that time; release and installation details can change, so consult the official homepage before installing.
- MLton: Its documentation separates material on installation, compiler use, tools, the Standard ML language, and the Basis Library, and includes guidance on porting from SML/NJ. Use those pages for MLton-specific setup and behavior rather than assuming its workflow matches SML/NJ.
When an example does not run as written, first check which implementation and libraries its author expects. Then compare its syntax and library calls with the documentation for your installed implementation.
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A practical way to learn without collecting too many links
- Open the SML/NJ User’s Guide and choose SML/NJ as your initial environment if you want its guide and interactive workflow to line up.
- Work through a small example and modify it: change inputs, add a case, or write a related function. Running and adjusting code helps expose misunderstandings that passive reading can leave hidden.
- Use SML Help when you want a worked example or a focused explanation of a language or functional-programming concept.
- Browse the SML/NJ literature index if you want lecture notes, another author’s tutorial, or a book recommendation.
- Move to MLton if it better fits your setup or goals, and use its installation and language documentation to account for the different tool workflow.
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