Why so many programing languages?

1 pointsmtam13y ago2 comments

It feels like every other week I read on HN about a new programing language I never heard before. I do not understand why so many people keep creating new languages instead of improving on the existing ones. Don’t we already have enough options to express ourselves? Are we really evolving/improving or just disrupting/fragmenting? What drives so many people to think they can design a better mousetrap from scratch? Are we going to get to the point that everybody will create his or her own language, which might compile into JavaScript? Can someone help me make sense of the situation? What am I missing here?

2 comments

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ankurdhama13y ago· 1 in thread

-- Don’t we already have enough options to express ourselves?

We have enough options to express ourselves in a specific way only. The basic thinking around these expression options is same. If a new language comes up with new way of thinking about programming then it is worth it otherwise it is just something that you should not care about.

mtamOP13y ago

Thanks. I agree with your perspective but I still don't grasp what is motivating so many developers to create new languages. Knowing that many languages are open source I would think people would improve on existing ones vs. going on their own language route.

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