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I think there are definitely wrong answers to syntax if you want people other than PL nerds to use your language. Agreed that a library shouldn't start its tuto

I think there are definitely wrong answers to syntax if you want people other than PL nerds to use your language. Agreed that a library shouldn't start its tutorial talking about how nice its interface is. But at a certain point, you should probably come around to a syntax that is fairly standard. There's a reason a lot of UI libraries standardized around JSX. Basically, syntax might be your last thought, but that doesn't mean you should neglect it.

sshine 4y ago
Syntax is the bike-shedding of programming language design. Imagine you're going to write a book, and before you think of the subject, you're rabbit-holing whether or not to use the Oxford comma. This is literally the significance of syntax. Of course, it matters. But not as much as what your book is about.