Yeah, because that's what most configuration languages differ in.
And yet, in focusing on the syntax, you missed the biggest difference between Dhall and other configuration languages: safe, termination-guaranteed non-Turing-complete computation.
How is it better than Jsonnet or Starlark?
Why are you implying that kccqzy thinks Dhall is better than Jsonnet or Starlark?
A new project should be better than the old ones. Otherwise, what's the point?
static type system
True. But isn't this also accomplished when pairing JSON with JSON Schema?
The schema applies to the generated values, but what’s the equivalent of a schema for a programming language? Types.
Jsonnet does not have a way to validate its functions without running them first.
I clearly get that, but many IDEs use the schema to help you produce valid JSON.
And yet, HN is commenting about a language people use to describe entire networks of computers on a few non-redundant centralized files... And all the comments are about syntax.