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389 points kurinikku | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source
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wslh ◴[] No.42164921[source]
> Everything Is Just Functions...

I'd iterate on that and say: everything is just languages and dialogues, with functions being one component of them. Over time, we’ve evolved from machine languages to higher-level ones, but most popular languages today still focus on the "how" rather than the "what".

Programming paradigms, even those like functional and logic programming, requires the "how". My rant is this: the next major iteration(s) in programming languages should shift focus to the "what". By abstracting away the "how", we can reach a higher-order approach that emphasizes intent and outcomes over implementation details.

I don't want to constrain this idea to Z3, LLMs, or low/no-code platforms, but rather to emphasize the spirit of the "what". It’s about enabling a mindset and tools that prioritize defining the goal, not the mechanics.

I know this contradicts our work as software engineers where we thrive on the "how", but maybe that’s the point. By letting go of some of the control and complexity, we might unlock entirely new ways to build systems and solve problems.

If I should be plain realistic, I'd say that in the middle, we need to evolve by mixing both worlds while keeping our eyes on a new horizon.

replies(3): >>42165246 #>>42165320 #>>42169451 #
fsndz ◴[] No.42165320[source]
isn't that what declarative programming frameworks do already ?
replies(2): >>42165526 #>>42165685 #
1. wslh ◴[] No.42165685[source]
They don't do it "already" but are one of the approaches taken. If you build state of the art web UI/UX you know that it is not just dragging and dropping objects on the screen while it is perfectly possible to build a tool like this.