Drew DeVault, a systems programming language developer, joins the show to talk about Hare, a 100 year language. They discuss the language's goals of simplicity, stability, and robustness, the importance of open source, fostering a culture of stability, and even make a random detour to talk about making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Hare aims to be a 100-year language, prioritizing stability and longevity in software development.
Hare offers an enjoyable and efficient coding experience with its fast compilation and intuitive interface design process.
Hair emphasizes conservatism in language design, aiming to achieve hundred-year stability and actively involving the community in the development process.
Deep dives
Hair: A Systems Programming Language Designed for Stability and Robustness
Hair is a systems programming language that aims to be simple, stable, and robust. It prioritizes stability as a goal, distinguishing itself from other projects. Hair provides flexibility and portability similar to C, but with added features such as better error handling, slices, and improved string support. The language also benefits from a standard library that enhances C's limitations. While still under development, Hair is already being used effectively, offering fast and efficient code writing experiences, especially for designing interfaces and achieving interface goals. The focus on usability and performance makes Hair an appealing choice for programmers seeking stability in their software development processes.
The Ambition of Hair: A Programming Language Designed to Last a Century
Hair is not just aiming to be a programming language, it aims to be a 100-year language. While it may sound ambitious, the goal is to create a language that can provide perpetual backwards and forwards compatibility. Hair focuses on stability, quality, and longevity, providing a solid foundation for building software that can last a long time. By fostering a culture that values stability and by continuously refining the language and standard library, Hair aspires to become a reliable and trusted tool for future generations of programmers. While adoption and community support will be crucial, the appealing features and ease of use of Hair may attract a dedicated group of programmers who prioritize longevity in their software projects.
The Joy of Writing Hair: Speed, Ease, and Interface Design
Writing code in Hair is a joyful experience for many developers. The language offers speed, simplicity, and an intuitive interface design process. Hair's fast compilation and execution make it efficient for building low-level applications like operating systems and device drivers. The language provides a familiar syntax derived from the C lineage, making it accessible to developers already familiar with C-like languages. With its powerful features like error handling, slices, and improved string support, Hair allows developers to express their ideas accurately on the first try. This ease of use, combined with Hair's focus on stability and longevity, contributes to an enjoyable and efficient coding experience.
Hair: A Programming Language with Hundred-Year Stability
Hair is a programming language that aims to achieve hundred-year stability by emphasizing conservatism in language design. The focus is on making careful choices that lean towards proven solutions rather than experimenting with new features. The goal is to create a language that is feature complete and won't undergo breaking changes or additions once it reaches version 1.0. To achieve this, Hair employs an acceptance testing process to thoroughly validate the design before declaring it done. The language also has a strong emphasis on fostering a culture that values stability and actively involving the community in the development process.
Hymitsu: A Secret Storage System Built in Hair
Hymitsu is a secret storage manager built using Hair. It goes beyond the functionalities of a password manager, allowing users to store different types of secrets, including web passwords, SSH keys, and more. Inspired by the Plan 9 factotum system, Hymitsu offers a flexible and secure solution for storing and managing various secrets. It can be customized to work with different types of secrets and seamlessly integrates into workflows like SSH signature requests. Hymitsu exemplifies the power and versatility of Hair as a practical language for building real-world applications.
This week on The Changelog we’re joined by Drew DeVault, talking about the Hare programming language. From the website, Hare is a systems programming language designed to be simple, stable, and robust. When we asked Drew why he created it, he said “[because] I wanted it to exist, and it did not exist.” Wise words.
We discuss Hare (of course), why he’s so passionate about all things open source, the state of the language, fostering a culture that values stability, and oddly enough — what it takes to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
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