| I might not have the best take since don't have a huge grudge against javascript but I definitely think there are some concrete problems in its foundations. Specifically js has very unusual attitudes to basic syntax operations that are at this stage undoable without breaking an insane amount of existing code. For some examples: - Use of == does not do what it does in almost every other language, but won't flag an error if a user thinks if does. Instead very difficult to track bugs will be introduced. - Calling nonexistent object keys won't flag an error but return None. I've seen this lead to weird errors that are hard to find a lot of times. - Duck typing in a lot of operators like + and - can create unexpected results. At a high level, I think these are all choices to bake "truthyiess" into fundamental operations that often end up masking errors. They could pretty easily be solved if js, with those errors present, wasn't such a massive foundation for so much stuff. I obviously can't speak for anyone else, but I think those are the kind of things most people are referring to when they talk about js having problematic foundations. |
> Use of == does not do what it does in almost every other language, but won't flag an error if a user thinks if does. Instead very difficult to track bugs will be introduced.
"==" does basically what it should... (I also avoid it, but it makes a perverted kind of sense for easing into programming) and the bugs introduced aren't difficult to track at all: literally find and replace "==" with "===" resolve places that became too strict, then make it a lint rule.
>Calling nonexistent object keys won't flag an error but return None. I've seen this lead to weird errors that are hard to find a lot of times.
This... is basic dictionary behavior across SO MANY LANGUAGES. Frankly - having worked with languages that make a missing key an exception (looking at you C#/C++) I'd take the JS route any day.
> - Duck typing in a lot of operators like + and - can create unexpected results.
Yes. This is programming. Have you seen Ruby (or python - or god help you custom operator implementations in c++)? Because holy fuck is JS reasonable as all get here when compared to some other popular languages.
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> I obviously can't speak for anyone else, but I think those are the kind of things most people are referring to when they talk about js having problematic foundations.
Basically - Look: I agree JS has some warts. Literally every language does. I just really don't see those warts as deserving of FUD around foundational problems that so many people talk about.