A JavaScript standard library based on the Ruby core-lib | Hacker News Reader

A JavaScript standard library based on the Ruby core-lib

rubyjs.org

17 pointsvishnupr9 comments

http://opalrb.org Opal is a ruby to javascript compiler. It is source-to-source, making it fast as a runtime. Opal includes a compiler (which can be run in any browser), a corelib and runtime implementation. The corelib/runtime is also very small (10.8kb gzipped).

RubyJS creator here, just launched it at jscamp.asia. feel free to ask questions.

I'm a Ruby developer, but it's late and I'm tired: in plain English, what does this library get me and why does it cost $190?

I mean, there's lots of fun stuff in Ruby core (and a huge amount many Ruby devs are often unaware of) but if I'm ultimately still working in JavaScript, this hits a lot of walls. ES6 will allow something like method_missing, but we're not there yet.

Also: blocks.

You can use the same methods in JavaScript that you're using already in Ruby. Same arguments, same behaviour, same return values. No mental overhead switching back and forth from Ruby to JS.

Blocks in RubyJS translate to functions (as the last parameter). They work pretty much the same in RubyJS. You can break out of a loop using a breaker object.

It's not about the Ruby object model and metaprogramming capabilities but about the core library.

Especially as Ruby developer if you switch to JS you spend an inordinate amount relearning a new (IMO not so convenient) standard library.

Also RubyJS methods are chainable by design (methods return other RubyJS objects. So you can write:

    R([1,2,3]).map(...).join(',').capitalize().ljust(50)

I'm all for paying for good tools / libraries, but I personally wouldn't pay $190. I think a "pay what you think it's worth" system would be more effective.

That's an interesting idea. Considering it.

Same here. As a JS and Ruby dev, I think there's a lot of great stuff in here. And it looks like it was probably a lot of work to put together.

But the pricing is no good. It's $190/dev for alpha software with no support. That's just not going to cut it.

Sadface. http://rubyjs.org/buy.html

I'll continue using http://underscorejs.org/ and https://github.com/epeli/underscore.string#readme.

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