Dart vs Smalltalk: What are the differences?
Introduction
In this article, we will explore the key differences between Dart and Smalltalk programming languages.
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Syntax and Typing: Dart is a statically typed language whereas Smalltalk is dynamically typed. Dart uses a C-style syntax which is familiar to programmers from languages like Java, C++, and C#. Smalltalk, on the other hand, uses a pure object-oriented syntax where everything is an object.
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Execution Model: Dart uses a VM-based execution model where the code is compiled to machine code and executed by the Dart VM. Smalltalk, on the other hand, uses an image-based execution model where the entire application state (including objects and methods) is saved to an image file and loaded into memory.
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Concurrency and Parallelism: Dart provides built-in support for concurrency and parallelism through the use of isolates, which are similar to threads but have their own memory space. Smalltalk, on the other hand, relies on cooperative multitasking where each process takes turns executing its code.
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Development Environment: Dart has a modern development environment with features like code completion, static analysis, and integrated debugging tools. Smalltalk, on the other hand, has a highly interactive development environment that allows for live coding and debugging.
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Community and Ecosystem: Dart has a growing community of developers and a rich ecosystem of libraries and frameworks. Smalltalk, on the other hand, has a smaller community and a more limited selection of libraries and frameworks.
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Platform Support: Dart can be used for both web and mobile development. It is supported by major web browsers and has frameworks like Flutter for building cross-platform mobile apps. Smalltalk, on the other hand, was primarily designed for desktop development and has limited support for web and mobile platforms.
In summary, Dart and Smalltalk differ in terms of their syntax and typing, execution model, concurrency and parallelism support, development environment, community and ecosystem, and platform support.