Polyglot programming

Most programmers know several languages. As a web developer, I work on a daily basis with Groovy, SQL, Bash Scripting, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Learning different languages allows us to solve problems with the most appropriate tool and to explore new paths of thinking about computational problems.

Neal Ford coined the term polyglot programming to express this concept:

I think it’s important in this day and age of polyglot programming to understand a variety of different languages, as they are the design tools we use to craft software. Just like regular engineers must understand the physical properties of different materials, we should understand the capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses of different languages. And when to apply them.
—Neal Ford

Polyglot JVM

Java has long been known simply as a programming language. But today, when thinking of Java we also refer to a robust and mature development platform. Currently, the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) supports over 200 different programming languages.

I have been exploring different languages on the JVM—Java, Groovy, Scala and Clojure—and I shared my experiences with other developers at Codemotion 2012. Hope you enjoy the slides.

March 27, 2012 | @ArturoHerrero