Type checking is a symptom, not a solution
5 days ago
- #programming
- #type-systems
- #architecture
- The article questions the necessity of type checking in programming, suggesting it may be a symptom of poor architectural choices rather than an inherent need.
- It argues that modern type systems are elaborate workarounds for complexity created by function-based programming paradigms, which conflate data flow and control flow.
- The author proposes that true isolation between components and simple, explicit interfaces could reduce the need for sophisticated type systems.
- Examples from electronics engineering and UNIX pipelines are cited as evidence that complex systems can be manageable without type checking when designed with the right architectural principles.
- The article calls for a shift in focus from perfecting type systems to addressing fundamental challenges in distributed, concurrent, and time-based computing.