#035 - Discussing Roc and functional systems with Richard Fieldman
Jan 8, 2024
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Richard Feldman, creator of the Roc programming language, discusses object-oriented programming, functional programming, and the advantages of using pure functions. They compare programming languages and explore the complexities of compiler building. They also talk about the influences from Elm and Go on Roc's development, building on top of Git, and the limitations of hot code loading.
The Roc programming language aims to address issues not handled by existing languages and draws inspiration from Elm for its front-end focus.
Roc provides separate build options to prioritize either faster build times or optimized execution speed.
The podcast explores the optimization of memory usage and the impact of just-in-time compilation on program performance.
Deep dives
The motivation behind the creation of the rock programming language
The rock programming language was developed with the purpose of solving problems that couldn't be addressed by existing languages. The creator took inspiration from the Elm language, which is known for its front-end focus. One of the primary goals of rock is to provide fast build and execution times, similar to Go. The language also includes features like basic package management, testing, and a formatter for enhanced developer experience. While rock is commonly used in back-end development, it aims to expand into other domains as well.
Performance and design trade-offs in choosing LLVM for optimization
Rock focuses on achieving fast performance, both in terms of runtime and compile time. To optimize the runtime performance, rock uses LLVM, a compiler backend known for its performance optimizations. However, the trade-off is that the compilation process becomes significantly slower due to the size and complexity of LLVM, causing a delay in build times. To address this, rock provides separate build options, allowing developers to choose between faster build times or optimized execution speed. The development build prioritizes speed, while the production build utilizes LLVM for optimized performance.
Incorporating ideas and features from Go programming language
Rock draws inspiration from the Go programming language in several aspects. It aims to provide a similar developer experience with features like package management, testing, and a built-in formatter. These features contribute to a streamlined workflow in rock development. Additionally, rock shares the goal of Go to optimize build and execution speed, although it uses its own implementation instead of relying on LLVM. Furthermore, rock explores innovative concepts like hot code loading, enabling developers to update their running servers seamlessly without disruption.
The differences between heap allocation and stack allocation
The podcast episode explores the differences between heap allocation and stack allocation in programming languages. It discusses how certain languages like C++ and JavaScript optimize memory usage, storing strings on the stack instead of the heap if they are shorter than a certain limit. The speaker also mentions the implementation complexity behind this optimization and its impact on the performance of string operations. The episode highlights that for short strings, this optimization can lead to faster execution and reduced memory usage.
The impact of just-in-time (JIT) compilation on performance
The podcast episode delves into the concept of just-in-time (JIT) compilation and its effects on program performance. It explains that JIT compilation is a technique used by some programming languages, such as Java and JavaScript, where the interpreter dynamically compiles frequently executed code segments into machine code for improved performance. The speaker emphasizes that while JIT compilation can enhance the speed of programs with large loops or workloads, it may not provide significant benefits for small loops or data sets. The episode aims to challenge the common notion that JIT compilation universally improves code execution and highlights the importance of considering workload characteristics when evaluating performance.
Lane chats with Richard Feldman, creator of the Roc programming language, about why he decided to create it. They discuss object oriented programming and whether it did irreparable damage to the industry - or not. Follow along as they talk about all of that and functional programming too!
Learn back-end development - https://boot.dev Listen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.com
Richard Feldmans Twitter: twitter.com/rtfeldman Roc Programming Language: https://www.roc-lang.org/ Software Unscripted can be found on any podcast platform!
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