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  5. F# vs MATLAB vs R

F# vs MATLAB vs R

OverviewDecisionsComparisonAlternatives

Overview

R Language
R Language
Stacks3.9K
Followers1.9K
Votes418
MATLAB
MATLAB
Stacks1.1K
Followers702
Votes37
F#
F#
Stacks779
Followers556
Votes399
GitHub Stars2.2K
Forks316

F# vs MATLAB vs R: What are the differences?

  1. Syntax: F# uses functional programming syntax, while MATLAB and R use procedural and object-oriented programming syntax. This difference in syntax affects how code is structured and written in each language.
  2. Typing: F# is a strongly typed language, while MATLAB and R are dynamically typed languages. This difference impacts how variables are declared and manipulated in each language.
  3. Platform: F# is primarily used on the .NET platform, while MATLAB is used for numerical computing and R is used for statistical computing. This difference in platforms determines the type of applications that can be developed using each language.
  4. Performance: F# has better performance than MATLAB and R due to its functional programming nature and its ability to leverage the .NET platform for optimization. This difference makes F# more suitable for performance-critical applications.
  5. Community and Libraries: MATLAB and R have larger communities and more extensive libraries for specialized domains like numerical and statistical computing, while F# has a smaller community and fewer libraries. This difference affects the availability of resources and support for developers using each language.
  6. Integration: F# has better integration capabilities with other .NET languages and technologies, while MATLAB and R have limited integration options. This difference impacts how easily code written in each language can interact with external systems and applications.

In Summary, F# differs from MATLAB and R in terms of syntax, typing, platform, performance, community and libraries, and integration capabilities.

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Advice on R Language, MATLAB, F#

Markus
Markus

Feb 3, 2021

Needs adviceonKotlinKotlinJavaJavaF#F#

Hi there. I want to expand my coding toolset. So I want to learn a second backend language besides Kotlin. Kotlin is fantastic. I love it in every aspect, and I think I can never return to Java. And also why should I? It is 100% interoperable with java and can co-exist in every project.

So my question here is. Which language do you think will bring me more joy? I think F#; it is more like Kotlin. Then C# (it's more or like 100% java). But, let's say I learn F#. Is it 100% interoperable like Kotlin? can they live side by side? Can I, then, apply to .NET jr jobs after a while, for example, or is C# the holy cow? I would like to learn .Net.

If it is the worst and only C# is acceptable, then which language should I learn? Dart? Golang?

284k views284k
Comments

Detailed Comparison

R Language
R Language
MATLAB
MATLAB
F#
F#

R provides a wide variety of statistical (linear and nonlinear modelling, classical statistical tests, time-series analysis, classification, clustering, ...) and graphical techniques, and is highly extensible.

Using MATLAB, you can analyze data, develop algorithms, and create models and applications. The language, tools, and built-in math functions enable you to explore multiple approaches and reach a solution faster than with spreadsheets or traditional programming languages, such as C/C++ or Java.

F# is a mature, open source, cross-platform, functional-first programming language. It empowers users and organizations to tackle complex computing problems with simple, maintainable and robust code.

Statistics
GitHub Stars
-
GitHub Stars
-
GitHub Stars
2.2K
GitHub Forks
-
GitHub Forks
-
GitHub Forks
316
Stacks
3.9K
Stacks
1.1K
Stacks
779
Followers
1.9K
Followers
702
Followers
556
Votes
418
Votes
37
Votes
399
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 86
    Data analysis
  • 64
    Graphics and data visualization
  • 55
    Free
  • 45
    Great community
  • 38
    Flexible statistical analysis toolkit
Cons
  • 6
    Very messy syntax
  • 4
    Tables must fit in RAM
  • 3
    Arrays indices start with 1
  • 2
    No push command for vectors/lists
  • 2
    Messy syntax for string concatenation
Pros
  • 20
    Simulink
  • 5
    Functions, statements, plots, directory navigation easy
  • 5
    Model based software development
  • 3
    S-Functions
  • 2
    REPL
Cons
  • 2
    Doesn't allow unpacking tuples/arguments lists with *
  • 2
    Parameter-value pairs syntax to pass arguments clunky
  • 2
    Does not support named function arguments
  • 1
    Costs a lot
Pros
  • 53
    Pattern-matching
  • 42
    Makes programming fun again
  • 38
    Type providers
  • 32
    Delightful
  • 30
    Frictionless
Cons
  • 3
    Microsoft tend to ignore F# preferring to hype C#
  • 2
    Interop between C# can sometimes be difficult
  • 1
    Hype
  • 1
    Type Providers can be unstable in larger solutions

What are some alternatives to R Language, MATLAB, F#?

JavaScript

JavaScript

JavaScript is most known as the scripting language for Web pages, but used in many non-browser environments as well such as node.js or Apache CouchDB. It is a prototype-based, multi-paradigm scripting language that is dynamic,and supports object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles.

Python

Python

Python is a general purpose programming language created by Guido Van Rossum. Python is most praised for its elegant syntax and readable code, if you are just beginning your programming career python suits you best.

PHP

PHP

Fast, flexible and pragmatic, PHP powers everything from your blog to the most popular websites in the world.

Ruby

Ruby

Ruby is a language of careful balance. Its creator, Yukihiro “Matz” Matsumoto, blended parts of his favorite languages (Perl, Smalltalk, Eiffel, Ada, and Lisp) to form a new language that balanced functional programming with imperative programming.

Java

Java

Java is a programming language and computing platform first released by Sun Microsystems in 1995. There are lots of applications and websites that will not work unless you have Java installed, and more are created every day. Java is fast, secure, and reliable. From laptops to datacenters, game consoles to scientific supercomputers, cell phones to the Internet, Java is everywhere!

Golang

Golang

Go is expressive, concise, clean, and efficient. Its concurrency mechanisms make it easy to write programs that get the most out of multicore and networked machines, while its novel type system enables flexible and modular program construction. Go compiles quickly to machine code yet has the convenience of garbage collection and the power of run-time reflection. It's a fast, statically typed, compiled language that feels like a dynamically typed, interpreted language.

HTML5

HTML5

HTML5 is a core technology markup language of the Internet used for structuring and presenting content for the World Wide Web. As of October 2014 this is the final and complete fifth revision of the HTML standard of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The previous version, HTML 4, was standardised in 1997.

C#

C#

C# (pronounced "See Sharp") is a simple, modern, object-oriented, and type-safe programming language. C# has its roots in the C family of languages and will be immediately familiar to C, C++, Java, and JavaScript programmers.

Scala

Scala

Scala is an acronym for “Scalable Language”. This means that Scala grows with you. You can play with it by typing one-line expressions and observing the results. But you can also rely on it for large mission critical systems, as many companies, including Twitter, LinkedIn, or Intel do. To some, Scala feels like a scripting language. Its syntax is concise and low ceremony; its types get out of the way because the compiler can infer them.

Elixir

Elixir

Elixir leverages the Erlang VM, known for running low-latency, distributed and fault-tolerant systems, while also being successfully used in web development and the embedded software domain.

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