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Ada, or at least GNAT, also supports compile-time dimensional analysis (unit checking). I may be biased, because I mostly work with engineering applications, bu

Ada, or at least GNAT, also supports compile-time dimensional analysis (unit checking). I may be biased, because I mostly work with engineering applications, but I still do not understand why in other languages it is delegated to 3rd party libraries. https://docs.adacore.com/gnat_ugn-docs/html/gnat_ugn/gnat_ugn/gnat_and_program_execution.html#performing-dimensionality-analysis-in-gnat https://docs.adacore.com/gnat_ugn-docs/html/gnat_ugn/gnat_ug...

cb321 1y ago
Nim (https://nim-lang.org https://nim-lang.org), mentioned elsethread Re: numeric ranges like Ada, only needs a library for this: https://github.com/SciNim/Unchained https://github.com/SciNim/Unchained FWIW, physical dimensions like meters were the original apples-to-oranges type system that pre-dates all modern notions of things beyond arithmetic. I'm a little surprised it wasn't added to early FORTRAN. In a different timeline, maybe. :) I think what is in "the" "stdlib" or not is a tricky question. For most general/general purpose languages, it can be pretty hard to know even the probability distribution of use cases. So, it's important to keep multiple/broad perspectives in mind as your "I may be biased" disclaimer. I don't like the modern (well, it kind of started with CTAN where the micros seemed meant more for copy-paste and then CPAN where it was not meant for that) trend toward dozens to hundreds of micro-dependencies, either, though. I think Python, Node/JS, and Rust are all known for this.
reshlo 1y ago
F# can do this too. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-reference/units-of-measure https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-ref...
- wolvesechoes 1y ago
  Nice, didn't know that. I keep seeing praise for F# so I should finally take a look.
  - humanfromearth9 1y ago
    One of the best software design books I've read is "Domain Modelling Made Functional", from Scott Wlaschin. It's about F#, but it remains a good read for any software programmer, whatever your language. And it's easily understandable, you can almost read it like a novel, without focusing too much. Though what may need some brains is applying the functional concepts of this book with your favourite language...
    - prodipto81 1y ago
      #f!!
- touisteur 1y ago
  A whole zoo of dimensional analysis in programming languages : https://www.gmpreussner.com/research/dimensional-analysis-in-programming-languages https://www.gmpreussner.com/research/dimensional-analysis-in...

cb321 1y ago

Nim (https://nim-lang.org https://nim-lang.org), mentioned elsethread Re: numeric ranges like Ada, only needs a library for this: https://github.com/SciNim/Unchained https://github.com/SciNim/Unchained FWIW, physical dimensions like meters were the original apples-to-oranges type system that pre-dates all modern notions of things beyond arithmetic. I'm a little surprised it wasn't added to early FORTRAN. In a different timeline, maybe. :) I think what is in "the" "stdlib" or not is a tricky question. For most general/general purpose languages, it can be pretty hard to know even the probability distribution of use cases. So, it's important to keep multiple/broad perspectives in mind as your "I may be biased" disclaimer. I don't like the modern (well, it kind of started with CTAN where the micros seemed meant more for copy-paste and then CPAN where it was not meant for that) trend toward dozens to hundreds of micro-dependencies, either, though. I think Python, Node/JS, and Rust are all known for this.

reshlo 1y ago

F# can do this too. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-reference/units-of-measure https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fsharp/language-ref...

wolvesechoes 1y ago
Nice, didn't know that. I keep seeing praise for F# so I should finally take a look.
- humanfromearth9 1y ago
  One of the best software design books I've read is "Domain Modelling Made Functional", from Scott Wlaschin. It's about F#, but it remains a good read for any software programmer, whatever your language. And it's easily understandable, you can almost read it like a novel, without focusing too much. Though what may need some brains is applying the functional concepts of this book with your favourite language...
  - prodipto81 1y ago
    #f!!
touisteur 1y ago
A whole zoo of dimensional analysis in programming languages : https://www.gmpreussner.com/research/dimensional-analysis-in-programming-languages https://www.gmpreussner.com/research/dimensional-analysis-in...