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You could have programming language with just NAND as "small instruction set". The reality is that you want "instruction set" that you're using to solve your p

• bryanrasmussen 5y ago
  >The reality is that you want "instruction set" that you're using to solve your problems. yeah either that or by having a small instruction set you can know all the language at a reasonably deep level, but with a large enough language and the need to write maintainable code this becomes more difficult. You may be hit with situations where you need to look up the specification of the language you are supposed to be an expert in. But you're right, you definitely know better than I what I mean when I say I like languages with a small instruction set.
  • mirekrusin 5y ago
    It helps to have terse code constructs (destructuring) or more sane behaviour (const/let vs var scoping). I don't think constructs like pipe operator, nullish coalescing or optional chaining hampers language to the point that it becomes impossible to know at reasonably deep level. Those are quite fundamental, often quite simple, concepts and many of them are sprinkled around different languages here and there already. TypeScript for example has much harder learning curve. Personally I find things like generators, async generators, tagged templates absolutely essential in day-to-day work and can't imagine working without them. Recent additions to JavaScript language through healthy community interaction were absolutely great IMHO.