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JavaScript's redeeming quality is that it is ubiquitous due to being used by browsers. I don't think anybody credibly claims it to be a language we would want t

JavaScript's redeeming quality is that it is ubiquitous due to being used by browsers. I don't think anybody credibly claims it to be a language we would want to use if we were to redesign web programming from scratch today

andsoitis 3y ago
What follows is meant to be descriptive rather arguing "my camp is right". > JavaScript's redeeming quality is that it is ubiquitous due to being used by browsers. JavaScript has other properties that make it very adept at a wide range of web app usecases. Languages exist not in isolation, but have a dynamic environment w.r.t. domains they excel in, tooling, mindshare, programming in the small and the large, comlexity, etc. > I don't think anybody credibly claims it to be a language we would want to use if we were to redesign web programming from scratch today Dart has tried. Many languages transpile to JavaScript (and have for a long time). Yet, JavaScript and TypeScript are some of the most popular languages on the planet. If the web is still around in 20 years, it will be interesting to see whether another language has taken center stage. I'm not quite holding my breath, if only because even with transpilation being around for many many years, no other language has overtaken. I have a hard time seeing WASM changing that outcome in a meaningful way.
shepherdjerred 3y ago
TypeScript is a pleasure to use. I have no desire to replace it with another language.
madeofpalk 3y ago
Outside of the "everyone hates javascript" circle jerk, I really enjoy writing Typescript. I find its type system to be very natural and pleasent to use. It's my go-to for any generic task.
marcosdumay 3y ago
> I don't think anybody credibly claims it to be a language we would want to use Ouch, you posted this on the internet. Somebody, somewhere is certainly going to claim this. Some of the people with that claim are even going to have a rationale behind it. And to be fair, the tooling is going to push a lot of opinion. Because as bad as the JS/TS tooling is, its UI component has been evolving steadily while every other tool stagnated. And by now it has quite probably surpassed the 90's RAD paradigm (I mean, I can't make up my mind). IMO, the language is one of the main things holding those tools back, but most people just won't agree.

andsoitis 3y ago

What follows is meant to be descriptive rather arguing "my camp is right". > JavaScript's redeeming quality is that it is ubiquitous due to being used by browsers. JavaScript has other properties that make it very adept at a wide range of web app usecases. Languages exist not in isolation, but have a dynamic environment w.r.t. domains they excel in, tooling, mindshare, programming in the small and the large, comlexity, etc. > I don't think anybody credibly claims it to be a language we would want to use if we were to redesign web programming from scratch today Dart has tried. Many languages transpile to JavaScript (and have for a long time). Yet, JavaScript and TypeScript are some of the most popular languages on the planet. If the web is still around in 20 years, it will be interesting to see whether another language has taken center stage. I'm not quite holding my breath, if only because even with transpilation being around for many many years, no other language has overtaken. I have a hard time seeing WASM changing that outcome in a meaningful way.

shepherdjerred 3y ago

TypeScript is a pleasure to use. I have no desire to replace it with another language.

madeofpalk 3y ago

Outside of the "everyone hates javascript" circle jerk, I really enjoy writing Typescript. I find its type system to be very natural and pleasent to use. It's my go-to for any generic task.

marcosdumay 3y ago

> I don't think anybody credibly claims it to be a language we would want to use Ouch, you posted this on the internet. Somebody, somewhere is certainly going to claim this. Some of the people with that claim are even going to have a rationale behind it. And to be fair, the tooling is going to push a lot of opinion. Because as bad as the JS/TS tooling is, its UI component has been evolving steadily while every other tool stagnated. And by now it has quite probably surpassed the 90's RAD paradigm (I mean, I can't make up my mind). IMO, the language is one of the main things holding those tools back, but most people just won't agree.