3 ms·

We aren’t in a phase where languages have multiple implementations right now. I can’t think of any well-known newish language (created in the last 10 years, sa

We aren’t in a phase where languages have multiple implementations right now. I can’t think of any well-known newish language (created in the last 10 years, say) with multiple implementations. Rust, Kotlin, Swift, Julia, Dart... any others? Go might be a counterexample with its cgo implementation, but that was built by the same team and I have the impression (maybe mistaken) that it’s fallen by the wayside. I don’t know if this indicates a really new language development style, with less emphasis on specification, or if it’s just a cyclic thing and some of these new languages will gain more implementations as they get more established.

kupiakos 8y ago
Python has PyPy?
- iainmerrick 8y ago
  Python isn’t new! It’s almost 30 years old.
  - kupiakos 8y ago
    I was about to suggest Python 3, but it seems Python 3.0 released December 3, 2008. Barely missed it!
heinrich5991 8y ago
https://github.com/thepowersgang/mrustc https://github.com/thepowersgang/mrustc is an alternative compiler for Rust.
- iainmerrick 8y ago
  Cool! Looks like that’s not quite ready for prime time, but I hope it succeeds.
- coldtea 8y ago
  Yeah, but no language of the ones the parent mentioned has a non-toy, non-personal-project alternative compiler. Perhaps only Golang (go and go-gcc). For all others, everybody uses the standard compiler. Even in Python, PyPy is not even 10% of the users. Whereas in C/C++ and other such older languages there are several implementation (MS, GCC, LLVM, Borland, Intel) with strong uptake and strong communities/companies behind them.
  - nicoburns 8y ago
    JavaScript isn't quite as new as those listed, but it has at least 5 or 6 implementations.
    - coldtea 8y ago
      Yeah, JS too.
  - sacado2 8y ago
    Yes, go has a formal specification, which not only opens the possibility for alternative implementations, but, more importantly, allows for the development of tools like linters. It's way harder to develop tooling for a language which is only defined as "what its compiler can compile".
skocznymroczny 8y ago
While older than 10 years, it still kind of falls under newish, but D has three compilers.

kupiakos 8y ago

Python has PyPy?

iainmerrick 8y ago
Python isn’t new! It’s almost 30 years old.
- kupiakos 8y ago
  I was about to suggest Python 3, but it seems Python 3.0 released December 3, 2008. Barely missed it!

heinrich5991 8y ago

https://github.com/thepowersgang/mrustc https://github.com/thepowersgang/mrustc is an alternative compiler for Rust.

iainmerrick 8y ago
Cool! Looks like that’s not quite ready for prime time, but I hope it succeeds.
coldtea 8y ago
Yeah, but no language of the ones the parent mentioned has a non-toy, non-personal-project alternative compiler. Perhaps only Golang (go and go-gcc). For all others, everybody uses the standard compiler. Even in Python, PyPy is not even 10% of the users. Whereas in C/C++ and other such older languages there are several implementation (MS, GCC, LLVM, Borland, Intel) with strong uptake and strong communities/companies behind them.
- nicoburns 8y ago
  JavaScript isn't quite as new as those listed, but it has at least 5 or 6 implementations.
  - coldtea 8y ago
    Yeah, JS too.
- sacado2 8y ago
  Yes, go has a formal specification, which not only opens the possibility for alternative implementations, but, more importantly, allows for the development of tools like linters. It's way harder to develop tooling for a language which is only defined as "what its compiler can compile".

skocznymroczny 8y ago

While older than 10 years, it still kind of falls under newish, but D has three compilers.