3 ms·

Something I've noticed about Clojure code is that people tend to have taken the effort to express a problem in a concise and logical way, even for very complex

Something I've noticed about Clojure code is that people tend to have taken the effort to express a problem in a concise and logical way, even for very complex problems. I'm not sure if it's just because Clojure attracts people who value good code, or because Clojure provides the tools to do it, but it sure is nice. Better to spend an hour on a 5-line function than a 50-line one, if they accomplish the same thing in the end.

oafitupa 12y ago
I don't think that 5-line function will be understandable by the next programmer who has to deal with it though. That's my point. It probably involves a Fibonacci or other math trickery that not everyone might have fresh in their minds.
- bilus 12y ago
  You may be mistaking patterns with 'clever hacks'. If the 5-liner is about writing the shortest possible code, then it certainly isn't beneficial to anyone (except for the original author who has all the fun of coming up with a 'clever' solution). But useful abstractions are a different matter whatsoever. Just look at Go channels or at reactive programming patterns. If applied to the right problem (i.e. a problem they help solve), they allow you to solve the very problem in a very concise and expressive way. Having such patterns as a part of the language just makes them more popular and reusable. And as far as your point, don't you think it's easier to spot a 5-line pattern than a pattern that is spread out over several classes and 200 or so lines of code? It all boils down to this: being able to see patterns or abstractions if you know that and having a common language across the team. Functional 'patterns' are just (arguably) more succinct than object-oriented ones (and it comes from someone who has been programming in C++ and Ruby for nearly 20 years).

3 ms·

Something I've noticed about Clojure code is that people tend to have taken the effort to express a problem in a concise and logical way, even for very complex

by adambard 12y ago

oafitupa 12y ago
I don't think that 5-line function will be understandable by the next programmer who has to deal with it though. That's my point. It probably involves a Fibonacci or other math trickery that not everyone might have fresh in their minds.
- bilus 12y ago
  You may be mistaking patterns with 'clever hacks'. If the 5-liner is about writing the shortest possible code, then it certainly isn't beneficial to anyone (except for the original author who has all the fun of coming up with a 'clever' solution). But useful abstractions are a different matter whatsoever. Just look at Go channels or at reactive programming patterns. If applied to the right problem (i.e. a problem they help solve), they allow you to solve the very problem in a very concise and expressive way. Having such patterns as a part of the language just makes them more popular and reusable. And as far as your point, don't you think it's easier to spot a 5-line pattern than a pattern that is spread out over several classes and 200 or so lines of code? It all boils down to this: being able to see patterns or abstractions if you know that and having a common language across the team. Functional 'patterns' are just (arguably) more succinct than object-oriented ones (and it comes from someone who has been programming in C++ and Ruby for nearly 20 years).