Show HN: A new programming language stronger than SQL, Java, and Python?

2 points

3 years ago

Since the computing system of SQL (database) is closed, and data can only be calculated after being loaded into database, and usually, database can only be deployed independently, it leads to a bloated and heavy framework; In addition, the computing ability of SQL is actually imperfect, and SQL is not suitable for handling some complex scenarios independently, and it has to adopt other technologies like Python, Java to make up for its shortcomings. However, these completely different technologies will increase the complexity of technology stack. Heavy and bloated framework and complex technology stack dramatically increases the O&M cost. By contrast, SPL is more open in computing ability, and able to calculate directly on various data sources, and supports independent or integrated use, and its framework is lighter. Moreover, SPL offers comprehensive functions, making it easy to implement complex computing, and making it possible to accomplish most tasks without other technologies, and its technology stack is simpler. Lightweight framework and simply technology stack make O&M cost lower.

SPL also has significant advantages over Java. Java is a full-featured programming language, and can handle any data computing task in theory. However, due to its too native nature and lack of necessary computation libraries, all computing tasks need to be developed from scratch, resulting in a difficulty to implement.

Especially for high-performance algorithms, it is more difficult to implement in Java. Even if programmers take a great effort to work it out, the performance is pretty poor. Therefore, not only is the development cost high, but the performance is too low. As a result, the hardware cost is increased.

In addition, Java has some shortcomings in practice. For example, it is difficult to achieve hot swap as a compiled language; tight coupling occurs since different applications/modules need be deployed together with main application. These shortcomings have a significant adverse impact on data analysis scenarios that frequently undergo changes. To avoid these shortcomings, programmers often use SQL together with Java in practice, for the reason that SQL is simpler and more convenient for many calculations. However, in doing so, not only does the SQL problem still exist, but it also brings new Java problem, resulting in complex technology stack, a difficulty to use, and high O&M costs.

In contrast, SPL does not have these problems, because it provides rich computing libraries, making it easy to implement calculation tasks, and offers many low-complexity algorithms to guarantee performance. In addition, as an interpreted language, SPL naturally supports hot swap, and coupling problem will never occur. Compared with SQL, SPL has a greater advantage over Java.

As for Python, some problems exist in processing structured data. Python (Pandas) itself provides rich computing libraries, and it is easy to code in Python for many simple calculations, making Python basically equivalent to SQL. However, for some slightly complicated calculations, it is difficult to code in Python, and the development cost is still high.

Moreover, Python has the problem of version chaos. Incompatibility between different versions will lead to high usage and O&M costs and, Python is very poor in integration, making it difficult to be combined in applications, and hence it often needs to deploy separate service, yet this will increase O&M costs. Like Java, Python is also frequently used together with SQL in practice, and likewise, the existing SQL problem still exists while new problem arises.

The advantages of SPL in terms of development and performance have been described a lot above. In addition, SPL has many other advantages: no version issue; good integration makes it possible to integrate in applications seamlessly; fully-featured; simpler technology stack; no need to resort to other technologies; lower O&M costs.

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