My thoughts after using Clojure for about a month

A developer has shared their firsthand experience after using Clojure for about a month to build a static site generator, finding it more cohesive and powerful than initially expected, despite some syntax and interoperability hurdles. This account offers insights into Clojure’s practicality for hobbyist and domain-specific programming.

The developer began experimenting with Clojure as a way to learn the language by creating a static site generator, following previous projects in GNU Make and shell scripting. They initially doubted Clojure due to its complex syntax, but over the month, found it to be ergonomic and more cohesive than Common Lisp and Scheme, largely due to its uniform sequence abstraction and well-chosen data structures like lists, vectors, hash-maps, and sets. The developer appreciated Clojure’s pragmatic design, especially its extensive standard library and JVM ecosystem, which offers broad library support for various domains.

However, they also identified some pain points, notably the syntax complexity involving multiple brackets and special characters, which can be overwhelming at first. They also noted a lack of familiarity with Java, which is necessary for deeper JVM interoperability, though they have managed basic interop calls so far. Despite these challenges, the developer plans to continue using Clojure, partly to deepen their understanding of the JVM ecosystem, and has started exploring projects like Project Euler to broaden their experience.

Why It Matters

This account underscores Clojure’s viability as a practical, ergonomic language for hobbyist and domain-specific programming, especially given its seamless data structures and JVM ecosystem. It highlights that even with initial skepticism over syntax complexity, users can find Clojure a powerful and enjoyable tool, which may influence other programmers considering Clojure for their projects. The insights also suggest that Clojure’s design philosophy of pragmatism and cohesion can outweigh its syntactic quirks for many users.

Background

Clojure was created by Rich Hickey in 2007 as a modern Lisp targeting the JVM, aiming to combine Lisp’s simplicity with JVM’s robustness. It has gained popularity among hobbyist programmers and those interested in functional programming, especially for data processing and scripting tasks. Prior to Clojure, the author had experience with other Lisp dialects like Common Lisp and Scheme, which they found less cohesive or more limited in standard features. This personal account builds on ongoing interest in Lisp-like languages and their ecosystems, reflecting broader developer trends toward pragmatic, ecosystem-rich languages.

“It turns out to be pretty ergonomic and powerful.”

— the author

“Clojure is more cohesive as a language than Common Lisp.”

— the author

“The four basic data types of Clojure—the list, vector, hash-map, and set—are well-chosen and are treated equally by the core language.”

— the author

“I do wish there were an easier way to move in the ]}]})))}-ness of block ends.”

— the author

“I’m going to stick with Clojure for a while.”

— the author

What Remains Unclear

It is still unclear how much deeper the author will delve into JVM interop or whether they will adopt Clojure for larger or more complex projects. The long-term stability of their enthusiasm and whether syntax or ecosystem limitations will influence their continued use remain uncertain.

What’s Next

The developer plans to further explore Clojure by tackling projects like Project Euler, deepen JVM interoperability, and possibly experiment with more advanced features or libraries. They may also evaluate how well Clojure scales for larger applications or more demanding domains.

Programming Clojure, Fourth Edition

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Key Questions

Is Clojure suitable for large-scale projects?

Clojure is designed for scalability and can be used for large projects, especially when leveraging the JVM ecosystem. However, this author’s experience is focused on hobbyist projects; larger-scale suitability depends on specific requirements and ecosystem maturity.

What are the main challenges in adopting Clojure?

Syntax complexity and JVM interop are common challenges. The multiple brackets and special characters can be overwhelming initially, and learning Java interoperability can be a barrier for some users.

How does Clojure compare to other Lisp dialects?

Compared to Common Lisp and Scheme, Clojure offers more cohesion, modern features, and better ecosystem support, especially via JVM integration. Its uniform data structures and pragmatic design are key advantages.

Can Clojure replace other languages for scripting?

Yes, especially with projects like babashka that make Clojure suitable for scripting and quick automation tasks, benefiting from its powerful data handling and JVM ecosystem.

Source: Hacker News