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Why do they keep making new languages (lemmy.stonansh.org)

submitted 1 year ago by lemmy@lemmy.stonansh.org to c/programming@programming.dev

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Why are there so many programming languages? And why are there still being so many made? I would think you would try to perfect what you have instead of making new ones all the time. I understand you need new languages sometimes like quantumcomputing or some newer tech like that. But for pc you would think there would be some kind of universal language. I'm learning java btw. I like programming languages. But was just wondering.

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[–] beeng@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (5 children)

Like human languages, you get different types of expressiveness in different ways. If you know multiple languages whether is python or Java, or English and French / Spanish / German, you'll see that there are positives and negatives to each language.

Lots of people want to design the best combination of them all, using the newest tools and newest tech to create something as useful as possible.

[–] CileTheSane@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Relevant XKCD: https://xkcd.com/927/

[–] beeng@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sort of... But new languages make use of new tech and compilers usually.

[–] Hector_McG@programming.dev 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

And old languages add features and adapt or rewrite the compiler for new technologies. There’s no inherent advantage to a language being new.

[–] beeng@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Less technical debt

[–] Hector_McG@programming.dev 0 points 1 year ago

Less experience in what programmers actually want or need from a language.

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