3 ms·
To me the most important contribution of Clojure is to not focus on OO or FP at all, but instead on data. Data is a first class citizen of the language: data l
by fmjrey 10y ago
To me the most important contribution of Clojure is to not focus on OO or FP at all, but instead on data.
Data is a first class citizen of the language: data literal is part of its syntax, and it uses powerful persistent data structures behind that.
Programming with Clojure is what has made me realise that data is really what matters after all. None of that FP or OO discourse should deviate us from that reality check that computing is all about data-in/data-out. Pull the plug and/or battery of your computer and see what remains next time you power it up.
So yes, Clojure may not be revolutionary in itself, it does rely on the shoulders of giants. It is however setting a new standard in terms of being successful in bringing together a very well thought out set of features and philosophy to bring the focus of programming back towards the real complexity, instead of the accidental one created by how we think.
- hellofunk 10y agoThis is well said. I wrote Clojure full-time for a few years. I was lucky to do so and get paid to learn such an interesting language and paradigm of software development. Aside from the points you mention, of which I agree, there is one other point I took away from the experience that many would disagree with: I really, really missed static typing. So that's the main reason I don't use Clojure as much any more and went back to other languages with a different model of typing. But I learned so much and it changed the way I work in other languages.