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Stroustrup's Rule (2024)
a month ago
- Stroustrup's Rule: Beginners need explicit syntax; experts prefer terse syntax.
- Rust's error handling evolved from explicit match statements to the ? operator.
- Python's 'walrus' operator debate highlights tension between expert terseness and beginner explicitness.
- Teaching requires balancing expert-preferred terse syntax with beginner-friendly explicit examples.
- TLA+ example contrasts explicit invariants with terser function sets for teaching clarity.
Flexible Metaprogramming with Rhombus
22 days ago
- Rhombus is a new programming language combining Racket's metaprogramming with Python-like syntax.
- It uses indentation-based syntax with ':' for blocks and '|' for branch separation, similar to Python.
- Rhombus supports immutable data structures by default, using tree-based lists for efficient operations.
- The language features advanced for loops with reducers (e.g., math.product) for concise code.
- Macros in Rhombus use syntax objects with metadata for error handling and hygienic/non-hygienic options.
- It allows user-defined grammatical contexts and extensions, supporting language-oriented programming.
- Rhombus includes gradual typing with annotations for error messages and performance optimization.
- The language is backed by the Racket project, licensed under MIT/Apache 2.0, and suitable for academic and professional use.
C++20 Improved the For-Loop Syntax
13 days ago
- C++20 introduced range-based for statements with an initializer, similar to C++17's if statement with initializer.
- The new syntax allows declaring both an index and an element reference within the for-loop scope, reducing boilerplate code.
- This feature improves code readability and matches the concise syntax found in languages like Python and Lua.
- The improvement is a small but impactful syntactic sugar that can enhance codebases when used consistently.

Hasty Briefsbeta

#syntax

Stroustrup's Rule (2024)

Flexible Metaprogramming with Rhombus

C++20 Improved the For-Loop Syntax