Haskell vs PureScript: What are the differences?

Introduction

Haskell and PureScript are both functional programming languages that share a lot of similarities but also have some key differences. This article aims to highlight and discuss six important differences between Haskell and PureScript.

1. Syntax and Type System: While both Haskell and PureScript are statically typed functional languages, PureScript uses a simpler and more JavaScript-like syntax compared to Haskell's more complex and mathematically-oriented syntax. Additionally, PureScript has a more expressive type system that allows for more fine-grained control over types.

2. JavaScript Interoperability: PureScript was primarily designed for compiling to JavaScript, which makes it easy to interoperate with existing JavaScript libraries and frameworks. Haskell, on the other hand, does not have native support for JavaScript interoperability and requires additional tools or libraries to achieve the same level of integration.

3. Ecosystem and Libraries: Haskell has a more mature and extensive ecosystem with a wide range of libraries and frameworks available for various purposes. PureScript, being a relatively newer language, has a smaller ecosystem but still provides many useful libraries specifically tailored for web development.

4. Learning Curve: Haskell, due to its mathematical foundations, has a steeper learning curve for beginners. Understanding and applying advanced concepts like monads, type classes, and higher-order functions can be challenging for newcomers. PureScript, while still requiring a solid understanding of functional programming, has a slightly lower learning curve, making it more accessible for beginners.

5. Performance: Haskell is known for its optimized performance and efficient runtime system. It has powerful optimizations and strict evaluation strategies that can lead to highly performant code. PureScript, on the other hand, may not have the same level of performance optimization and may sometimes rely on JavaScript runtime for execution, which can introduce some overhead.

6. Community Support: Haskell has a large and active community with numerous online resources, forums, and meetups available for support and learning. PureScript, being a more niche language, has a smaller but growing community. While PureScript's community support may not be as extensive as Haskell's, it is still evolving and has dedicated contributors.

In summary, Haskell and PureScript differ in their syntax, type systems, JavaScript interoperability, ecosystems, learning curve, performance optimizations, and community support. While Haskell provides a more extensive ecosystem and performs better, PureScript offers a simpler syntax, better JavaScript integration, and a more beginner-friendly learning curve.