# Paradigms

Stof is not a typical programming language. Instead of a heap, we are working with an active document of data, and instead of a compilation target, Stof's runtime allows it to manipulate itself with the data it contains (functions, fields, etc.).

After working with Stof for a while, a few common patterns have emerged as best practices. They will be added to this section as they become well understood and recommended.

{% hint style="info" %}
Please contribute to this section if you are using unique development patterns in Stof that are not documented. If experimental or in an idea phase, let's discuss together in [Discord](https://discord.gg/Up5kxdeXZt).
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.stof.dev/common-patterns/paradigms.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.