At the terminal, do the different languages you code in make you think in certain ways?
Ask HN: Do different programming languages make you think in different ways?
1–6 of 6 posts
Re: Ask HN: Do different programming languages make you think in different ways?
#2Absolutely! Programming in Haskell is a much different experience than programming in, say, Go or Javascript. However, when I'm switching between languages in the same paradigm (or close), my mindset tends to be the same.
Re: Ask HN: Do different programming languages make you think in different ways?
#3Yup. That was Ken Iverson's point of view when he created APL.
Different languages make you think in different ways. When working with Go, C and Python, I'm always keenly aware of the different and optimum data structures to use. Not so when writing code in JavaScript. I spend more time and effort looking out for the pitfalls in JS than anything.
When working in R and Matlab, my method of thinking is oriented towards matrices and linear algebra. The same problem will most definitely be solved in different manners in the different languages I am familiar with
Re: Ask HN: Do different programming languages make you think in different ways?
#4Yup. That was Ken Iverson's point of view when he created APL. Different languages make you think in different ways. When working with Go, C and Python, I'm always keenly aware of the different and optimum data structures to use. Not so when writing code in JavaScript. I spend more time and effort looking out for the pitfalls in JS than anything. When working in R and Matlab, my method of thinking is oriented towards…
Interesting. I guess the question came from my waking thought this morning - thinking of how languages can strongly influence perception (ie, Australian Aborigines conception of time being drastically different to much of the rest of the world due to language structure). So I was wondering if that dove-tailed with programming languages. But I'm thinking maybe not, as you kind of know your outcome before you set out on coding something. Ie, coding isn't like spontaneous prose. You have a certain outcome in mind and the language is really a means to realize that.
Re: Ask HN: Do different programming languages make you think in different ways?
#5Yup. That was Ken Iverson's point of view when he created APL. Different languages make you think in different ways. When working with Go, C and Python, I'm always keenly aware of the different and optimum data structures to use. Not so when writing code in JavaScript. I spend more time and effort looking out for the pitfalls in JS than anything. When working in R and Matlab, my method of thinking is oriented towards…
Interesting. I guess the question came from my waking thought this morning - thinking of how languages can strongly influence perception (ie, Australian Aborigines conception of time being drastically different to much of the rest of the world due to language structure). So I was wondering if that dove-tailed with programming languages. But I'm thinking maybe not, as you kind of know your outcome before you set out o…
My personal hypothesis is Whorf Sapir happens with programming languages as well.
A lisp developer is going to think about a problem in a very different way from a JS dev.
Re: Ask HN: Do different programming languages make you think in different ways?
#6Without a doubt. It's all about values and priorities. Each language was designed by a guiding philosophy, some set of values that shaped the way it was designed and the way in which it should properly be used. As a result, one language is going to promote some values over some values. This in turn will start to constrain (in a positive way) how you think about a problem. You'll think in terms of the language's paradigm (values) and this will cause you to see what's good about one paradigm over another.
There's no silver bullet, just different priorities.
Trying new languages will help give you a well-rounded perspective and will have you porting ideas from other languages into your current language often with benefit.