I’m still sad that JS doesn’t have tail call optimization. I’ve always wondered why. Is it hard to implement?
On the one hand, allowing any function to be eligible for TCO means that the developer won't know if the code was optimized or not. A trivial change can easily convert a fast function to one that blows the stack. Additionally, every function created- or at least every named function- would need to be analyzed, causing a performance hit for everyone, even those who never write a recursive function in their lives.
On the hand, some argued that TCO eligibility should be explicitly opt-in with some sort of keyword or annotation. If a function so annotated did not end up being a valid target for TCO, the script would not compile, similar to a syntax error. This is an even more harsh failure mode than the implicit version, but would have been easier to identify.
I vaguely recall chrome devs generally being in favor of explicit annotations, and Safari implicit. I could be completely wrong on this, and I don't think anyone was particularly enthused about the trade-offs either way.