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Elm vs F#: What are the differences?
Introduction: When comparing Elm and F#, there are key differences that developers should be aware of to choose the right language for their projects.
1. Type System: Elm has a strong static type system with type inference, whereas F# has a more flexible type system with both static and dynamic typing capabilities.
2. Platform Compatibility: Elm is designed specifically for web development with a focus on front-end applications, while F# can be used across various platforms including web, desktop, and mobile development.
3. Syntax and Language Features: Elm has a more beginner-friendly syntax and enforces immutability by default, making it easier to write and maintain code. F# offers more advanced language features such as pattern matching and computation expressions, providing more flexibility and power for experienced developers.
4. Tooling and Ecosystem: F# benefits from the larger .NET ecosystem and tooling support, making it easier to integrate with other .NET languages and frameworks. Elm has a more limited ecosystem focused on front-end development, with tools like elm-format and elm-test to support developers.
5. Concurrency and Parallelism: F# has better support for concurrency and parallelism with features like asynchronous workflows and the ability to easily work with multi-threading. Elm, on the other hand, is designed for single-threaded front-end applications and does not have built-in support for parallel processing.
6. Error Handling: Elm provides clear and helpful error messages at compile-time, making it easier to catch and fix bugs early in the development process. F# also offers good error handling capabilities, but may require more experience to interpret and resolve complex issues efficiently.
In Summary, Elm and F# differ in their type systems, platform compatibility, syntax, tooling, concurrency support, and error handling approaches, catering to different needs and preferences in software development.
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? Go?
Exceptional decision to go with Kotlin. For the other story, go full with C#. "is C# the holy cow? Yes it is.". Specially now when netCore is crossplatform and you can build asp.net core applications on Windows, Linux and macOS via Visual Studio Code which is also multiplatform. Nothing will beat C# in the near future. Also, at the end of 2021 Microsoft will release Net 6.0 which will include MAUI.
"For those new to .NET MAUI (standing for .NET Multi-platform App UI), Microsoft says it's "the evolution of Xamarin.Forms extended from mobile to desktop scenarios with UI controls rebuilt from the ground up for performance and extensibility."
So, C# all the way sire!
animefanx1,
First let's get your questions sorted: Which language do you think will bring me more joy?
This you will have to decide for yourself, I am a long time C# developer and have seen it grow into a very compelling platform. The language and I'd compare it more to Kotlin than Java (by a long margin). More on .NET in a bit.
say I learn F#. Is it 100% interoperable like Kotlin?
You can have 100% interop with a caveat, your F# libraries have to implement certain guidance in order to be referenced from C#. Some (dare I say most) of the differences between F# and C# are predicated on language constructs that are not available in C#. For instance F# functions that return Unit.
can they live side by side?
Yes.
Can I, then, apply to .NET jr jobs after a while, for example, or is C# the holy cow?
I don't know if I take your meaning, but let me say this: Learning either C# or F# will likely force you to understand concepts such as garbage collection, primitive types, etc. which apply to all .NET languages, thus a lot of the effort you put into .NET is bound to pay off regardless of your choice.
If it is the worst and only C# is acceptable, then which language should I learn? Dart? Go? You can't go wrong with any of these and I venture to say whether you select C#, F#, Dart or Go as your next adventure, your willingness to learn will take you to try other languages, some which mey not even exist yet!
PS1: .NET is an end to end environment now. With the introduction of Blazor and Razor pages one does not need JavaScript or other browser scripting languages, it even interops with JavaScript. PS2. Microsoft is working on unifying .NET. Soon there will be only one version: .NET 5! Caveat: Some features such as WinForms will still be specific to the windows environment but all of those are likely things you don't need in Mac or Linux
I think you can learn go instead C#. C# is cool, but Golang also cool. It can run on any OS without specific software. C# can run on linux too but it's only the .NET Core as I know. But golang is flexible. So try it and decide what do you think about Golang
Pros of Elm
- Code stays clean45
- Great type system44
- No Runtime Exceptions40
- Fun33
- Easy to understand28
- Type safety23
- Correctness22
- JS fatigue17
- Ecosystem agrees on one Application Architecture12
- Declarative12
- Friendly compiler messages10
- Fast rendering8
- If it compiles, it runs7
- Welcoming community7
- Stable ecosystem5
- 'Batteries included'4
- Package.elm-lang.org2
Pros of F#
- Pattern-matching53
- Makes programming fun again42
- Type providers38
- Delightful32
- Frictionless30
- Static type inference26
- Composable21
- Ml syntax19
- REPL17
- Succinct17
- DDD10
- Making invalid states impossible9
- Great community7
- WebSharper7
- Language support for units of measure7
- Functional Programming6
- Powerful6
- Beautiful Code5
- Compact5
- Multiplatform5
- Functional paradigm5
- Computation Expressions5
- Open source5
- Less bugs5
- Productive5
- Allow use JS and .NET libraries4
- Object oriented features4
- Fun to write4
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Cons of Elm
- No typeclasses -> repitition (i.e. map has 130versions)3
- JS interop can not be async2
- JS interoperability a bit more involved2
- More code is required1
- No JSX/Template1
- Main developer enforces "the correct" style hard1
- No communication with users1
- Backwards compability breaks between releases1
Cons of F#
- Microsoft tend to ignore F# preferring to hype C#3
- Interop between C# can sometimes be difficult2
- Hype1
- Type Providers can be unstable in larger solutions1