Finding Delight in Unfamiliar Languages

Sometimes, languages we are unfamiliar with end up being delightful. At one point, I opted to compile F# to Dart for a Flutter project rather than use Dart directly because certain tasks were more verbose than I desired. While F# compiled to Dart quite flawlessly and impressively, I later decided to just use Dart directly and grew to love the language in its own right. I have come to think of it as what I wish JavaScript were—or maybe more accurately, what I wish TypeScript were if it had a strongly typed runtime.

Similarly, for the longest time, I tried to get around Godot's GDScript by using F# and C#. But eventually, I decided to go with GDScript because it had better documentation. In doing so, I found that it's a neat language with a lot of love put into it, with solid features added in each release.

Languages often reveal their true value through direct use and exploration. Initially drawn to familiar languages, we might miss the unique strengths and charm of less mainstream options. By occasionally embracing these languages that are unfamiliar to us, we can discover new approaches to solutions and broaden our understanding of the tech landscape.