Software Engineering Radio - the podcast for professional software developers SE Radio 665: Malcolm Matalka on Developing in OCaml with Zero Frameworks
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Apr 23, 2025 Malcolm Matalka, founder of Terrateam, shares insights on developing in OCaml without relying on frameworks. He explains the benefits of strong typing while discussing the seamless integration of front-end and back-end systems. Matalka highlights the importance of community support in a niche language and reflects on the challenges of using OCaml in a Go-centric world. The conversation also covers the pros and cons of monolithic architecture, type management complexities, and custom framework development, all emphasizing a leaner, more controlled software engineering approach.
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Choosing OCaml for Enjoyment and Confidence
- Malcolm chose OCaml because he enjoys it and feels confident solving problems in it.
- OCaml's strong and static typing helps express domain concepts explicitly and catch errors early.
Avoid External Frameworks Control
- Avoid external frameworks that control program flow to reduce debugging complexity.
- Build your own libraries so you control your software’s destiny and avoid unexpected breaking changes.
OCaml Bridges Backend and Frontend
- OCaml compiles to JavaScript, enabling shared code between backend and frontend.
- This reduces context switching for developers and improves integration consistency between frontend and backend.