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0 pointsrattray11y ago0 comments

Would you like to reconsider your tone?

0 comments

7 comments · 2 top-level

reeboo11y ago· 5 in thread

No, but let me clarify. Bolting on a form of type checking to a weakly typed language seems orthogonal to the nature of a language like Python. If you find yourself saying "I wish I had a type system in this code base, its getting pretty big and a compiler that does type checking at compile time sure would make my life easier" maybe you should think about using a more appropriate tool.

I use Python a lot and it has its uses, but adding this type hint stuff just seems like an enabler for causing myself pain and denial when I should be using a more strongly typed language.

dangirsh11y ago

Though I agree with your sentiment, I must mention that there is nothing "weak" about Python's type system.

You likely meant "dynamic", not "weak". See here:

wiki.python.org/moin/Why%20is%20Python%20a%20dynamic%20language%20and%20also%20a%20strongly%20typed%20language

reeboo11y ago

Yep, thanks.

1 more reply

aapycgarb11y ago

Python's type system is weak whether they self-identify that way or not. Types are implicitly converted in a variety of cases, notably True-ness. Meanwhile, runtime type identity is kind of meaningless; classes and individual objects can have their behavior meaningfully changed at runtime. The most you can say about any variable in Python is that it is a descendant of 'object' or else some primitive type.

4 more replies

swhipple11y ago

Static typing is considered unpythonic, but the typecheck library is closer to a sanity-checking model (like using assert). The advantage is that instead of the checks being in the body, they can be moved to the function header. It supports things such as checking ranges or regex matches, rather than just object types.

Even if people are only using it as a shim for what could be static typechecking, I think there's something to say about the practicality of it existing, if only for the reason that their ecosystem might already be Python-based.

rattrayOP11y ago

I agree with everything you said here. Personally, I wish this had been your original post. It seems like a helpful jumping-off point for constructive conversation.

Sir_Substance11y ago

Wow, he used sarcasm to make a point that was both humorous and relevant, and you're reacting like an imam hearing a joke about muhammad.

Maybe you should reconsider yours?

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