As a fan of ML family languages I have a question for SML lovers. What do you typically build with SML?
For context, I’m web programmer and I’m also learning game dev, can I use SML productively?
Or are there other tasks that I could use SML for?
For context, I’m web programmer and I’m also learning game dev, can I use SML productively?
Or are there other tasks that I could use SML for?
There is the Rails-inspired web framework SML on Stilts: — https://github.com/j4cbo/stilts — presumably named after its great ergonomics.
And there is the SDL-powered MosGame, specifically for the Moscow ML compiler — https://github.com/Eckankar/MosGame — it comes with these examples: https://github.com/Eckankar/MosGame/tree/master/examples
But really, SML is primarily good for writing compilers.
With some backing SML could be the language of choice for safe and efficient applications.
You would probably be better served by F# or Ocaml for a web-oriented ML stack. SML has less of an ecosystem in that area.
Mostly I worked on fancy optimisation passes, and a fast gate-level simulator.
Similar to languages like Haskell which emphasise first-class algebraic datatypes (tagged unions) and pattern-matching in a concise but clear syntax, it's good for writing things that manipulate tree-like and symbol-heavy data structures like program syntax trees and circuit graphs, and quickly trying out new ideas with those.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15209814
Also the commentor is one of the maintainers of the ReScript compiler, which is essentially being forked from Ocaml.