4 ms·

> The syntax for functions that take parameters after > an anonymous function isn't obvious. Eh? A function is an argument list (), an arrow ->, and an in

> The syntax for functions that take parameters after > an anonymous function isn't obvious. Eh? A function is an argument list (), an arrow ->, and an indented body of code. Putting 'em together: request(url, (response) -> handle response , (error) -> handle error )

lowboy 13y ago
To be fair, having the comma on the same indentation as the enclosing function call doesn't follow the standard multiline list formatting in comma-last JS.
- jashkenas 13y ago
  To be fair, that style works just fine as well, if you prefer it. request url, ((response) -> handle response), (error) -> handle error
  - lowboy 13y ago
    But then you get into do-you-don't-you with parentheses, which I find is a sticking point for some people when they try CS. I prefer your first example, personally.
wmil 13y ago
The following are all equivalent: request(url, (response) -> handle response , (error) -> handle error ) request(url, (response) -> handle response (error) -> handle error ) request(url (response) -> handle response (error) -> handle error ) request url, \ (response) -> handle response , (error) -> handle error request url, (response) -> handle response , (error) -> handle error It's very reasonable for a JS developer to be confused when seeing those.
- unquietcode 13y ago
  If you can't see what all of these have in common, then you probably shouldn't call yourself a software developer. It's just syntax, people.
  - lucisferre 13y ago
    I'll be the first to admit, I still find it a bit of an awkward syntax, and it was one of the parts of the syntax I kept bumping up against for the longest time. Amazingly I'm finally comfortable with it, but there is a kind of cognitive friction around that one. Personally, I blame whitespace significance. It's hard for whitespace to be both significant to syntax and formatting without impacting one or the other negatively. The principle argument against whitespace significant languages is separation of concerns. Punctuation only for syntax and whitespace only for formatting. That said the benefits of CoffeeScript still outweigh the tradeoffs for me.

lowboy 13y ago

To be fair, having the comma on the same indentation as the enclosing function call doesn't follow the standard multiline list formatting in comma-last JS.

jashkenas 13y ago
To be fair, that style works just fine as well, if you prefer it. request url, ((response) -> handle response), (error) -> handle error
- lowboy 13y ago
  But then you get into do-you-don't-you with parentheses, which I find is a sticking point for some people when they try CS. I prefer your first example, personally.

wmil 13y ago

The following are all equivalent: request(url, (response) -> handle response , (error) -> handle error ) request(url, (response) -> handle response (error) -> handle error ) request(url (response) -> handle response (error) -> handle error ) request url, \ (response) -> handle response , (error) -> handle error request url, (response) -> handle response , (error) -> handle error It's very reasonable for a JS developer to be confused when seeing those.

unquietcode 13y ago
If you can't see what all of these have in common, then you probably shouldn't call yourself a software developer. It's just syntax, people.
- lucisferre 13y ago
  I'll be the first to admit, I still find it a bit of an awkward syntax, and it was one of the parts of the syntax I kept bumping up against for the longest time. Amazingly I'm finally comfortable with it, but there is a kind of cognitive friction around that one. Personally, I blame whitespace significance. It's hard for whitespace to be both significant to syntax and formatting without impacting one or the other negatively. The principle argument against whitespace significant languages is separation of concerns. Punctuation only for syntax and whitespace only for formatting. That said the benefits of CoffeeScript still outweigh the tradeoffs for me.