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HAML is a DSL for doing HTML markup & templating, Coffeescript is a "language extension" to JavaScript. How are they playing the same role???

"Is a rose by any other name still not a rose?"

I write HAML, the plugin generates HTML.

I write Coffeescript, the plugin generates Javascript.

Surely you can see how these two are similar. Yes, there are more precise definitions for each, but pragmatically, they play a similar role.

Except that a proficient Haml developer will still need to "think in HTML" and Haml is just another way to express it.

CoffeeScript goes so far and introduces enough new concepts that you can "think in CoffeeScript" and not worry about JavaScript too much.

You're right that the translation idea is similar but I can't agree that the mental model for using both is similar.

Coffeescript isn't a "language extension" to JavaScript.

Coffeescript is a language that compiles down to Javascript. Haml is a language that is interpreted into HTML.