Software Unscripted Gleam 1.0 with Louis Pilfold
Apr 2, 2024
Louis Pilfold, Creator of the Gleam programming language, discusses the language's 1.0 release, backwards compatibility, hot-swapping code in production, and implementing a typed version of Erlang's OTP system. Emphasizes challenges of versioning, dependency management, and balancing productivity in software development.
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Embrace Early 1.0 Releases
- Do not delay version 1.0 releases waiting for perfection; releasing early promotes proper versioning and ecosystem maturity.
- Versioning progress encourages authors to fix breaking changes in new major versions rather than hesitate to release.
Version 1.0 Changes Expectations
- Backwards compatibility expectations shift strongly at version 1.0 but are ultimately cultural and 'vibes'-based.
- Semantic versioning is effective only when consistently applied and understood across an ecosystem.
Content-Hashed Package URLs
- Richard Feldman implemented package URLs ending with content hashes to ensure security and immutability.
- This prevents malicious updates after a URL's domain expires, protecting builds from silent compromise.