Dart should not be ignored

Introduction #

Introduced in 2011, Dart is a modern language developed by Google, designed for crafting web, server, and mobile applications. As a general-purpose language, Dart is versatile and flexible, supporting a wide array of developments. It’s a statically typed, garbage-collected language which combines object-oriented and functional programming paradigms. Dart can be compiled to JavaScript and it presents a user-friendly C-style syntax, making it relatively straightforward to learn and apply.

However, despite these features, Dart is not the favored language among the developers I encounter, and positive feedback is quite scarce. Personally, my preference leans towards Go, but I acknowledge Dart has certain distinctive elements we can glean insights from. Let’s explore some unique attributes.

Dart as a Statically Typed Language #

Dart’s syntax closely resembles those of Java, C#, and Kotlin. This may be advantageous as these languages are widely recognized, although I confess I’m not particularly enamored with them.

Dart, like many languages, has introduced a concise syntax for variable definition, and it seems to elevate this feature. Not only does it support conventional type declarations such as var, final, and const, Dart also integrates unusual variable types for static languages like late and dynamic. This surprising blend of characteristics imparts Dart with a uniqueness that can broaden our understanding of varying concepts.

Mixins in Dart #

I first encountered mixins in Ruby, a feature that although could complicate the understanding of the code, I recognized its potential. Mixins provide a means to incorporate new functionality into classes without necessitating inheritance, enhancing flexibility and promoting the object-oriented programming approach.

Dart embraces mixins but in a more declarative way. When we need to use a function from a mixin, we must import the class’s extension. This enhances the readability and comprehension of the code, which is a commendable improvement.

Null Safety Feature #

While null safety is not an innovative feature, being used in numerous languages, Dart has integrated it into its core. It feels inherently a part of the language, which is a refreshing experience.

Conclusion #

The objective of this succinct article is to present a few key points aimed at fostering a less toxic environment in our world.

To summarize, Dart may not be my go-to language, nor the most favored among my developer peers. However, its unique features like unusual static type declarations, an improved version of mixins, and native null safety are enlightening and can significantly contribute to our programming knowledge. Despite my preference for Go, I respect and appreciate the diverse learning opportunities Dart presents.

I urge individuals not to despise any programming language, but instead contribute their knowledge and experimentation for its advancement. Dart may not be perfect, but its strengths make it too promising to be dismissed outright.