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Comment by slingnow | Hacker News Reader

I don't understand this. This is a GitHub repository of someone's largely unverified opinions? Since when is talking about static typing considered hype?

Saying static typing is "hype" is like saying "adding a handle to a coffee mug makes it easier to hold" is hype.

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When you look at the history the “scene” swings from one side to another. Initially people mostly used static languages (C time). Afterwards came some dynamic languages (abc). After that the internet time came back with static (java time). After which the dynamic took over again (python time). Currently we are moving again to static (kind of) mypy / typescript.

My guess would be this depends on what problems is the majority of developers trying to solve.

But of course this summary is just a huge simplification of evolution of languages.

You have to look at whether software is being hacked out by an individual and then left behind for the next cool thing, or a massive project built by teams and maintained over years. Static typing just slows down the first case and can be vital in the second case. And the overall trend on these swings back and forth too, when a new environment like the web or mobile comes out then quick hack jobs rule the day, then as the environment matures and the dinosaurs take over projects get bigger and longer lived.

> Saying static typing is "hype" is like saying "adding a handle to a coffee mug makes it easier to hold" is hype.

Hyperbole

Horses for courses

If I am batch processing text streams by applying regular expressions I really have no need for static typing, it just gets in my way

If I am processing MIDI note and control signals in real-time, and quickly, then I do.

It's a bit strange to say "hype" to static typing, because the idea is old and pervasive, but nevertheless there is hype around static typing. For example, the reason why TypeScript was created is because JavaScript isn't statically typed, and many people missed this, or attributed shortcomings to this. So while "hype" might not be the best descriptor, the debate itself around typing, and how clever and self-aware data types should be is an evergreen one, with no exclusive winners.

> Saying static typing is "hype" is like saying "adding a handle to a coffee mug makes it easier to hold" is hype.

I think so too, but that doesn't mean it's not controversial.

There are plenty of commenters who will happily say that it takes too long to put a handle onto a coffee mug. Handle-less mugs will get to market first! Besides, you spend too long fighting the handle.

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