Hacker News with Generative AI: Syntax

Zig's dot star syntax (value.*) (openmymind.net)
Maybe I'm the only one, but it always takes my little brain a split second to understand what's happening whenever I see, or have to write, something like value.* = .{...}.

Programming, Zig, Syntax

54 points by todsacerdoti 2 days ago | 38 comments

Change Python's syntax with the " coding:" trick (bitecode.dev)
You know how 93% of Paint Splatters are Valid Perl Programs?

Python, Programming, Syntax, Tricks

13 points by olooney 41 days ago | 0 comments

Parinfer: Simpler Lisp Editing (shaunlebron.github.io)
Lisp is often dismissed as an undesirable programming syntax due to excessive parentheses.

Programming Languages, Lisp, Editors, Syntax

168 points by harperlee 48 days ago | 32 comments

Show HN: Python with do..end in place of strict indentation (github.com/navxio)
An experimental Python preprocessor that enables do..end syntax in place of strict indentation

Python, Programming Languages, Syntax, Preprocessors

12 points by humility 58 days ago | 70 comments

C "clockwise/spiral" rule to understand declarations (c-faq.com)
There is a technique known as the ``Clockwise/Spiral Rule'' which enables any C programmer to parse in their head any C declaration!

C Programming, Syntax, Parsing

39 points by galkk 67 days ago | 75 comments

2D Racket Syntax (racket-lang.org)
The 2d language installs #2d reader support in the readtables, and then chains to the reader of another language that is specified immediately after 2d.

Programming Languages, Racket, Syntax

88 points by veqq 89 days ago | 15 comments

Show HN: Indentation-based syntax for Clojure (github.com/ilevd)
Indentation-based syntax for Clojure.

Clojure, Programming Languages, Syntax, Open Source, Show HN

75 points by ilevd 104 days ago | 50 comments

OCaml Syntax Sucks (2016) (xahlee.info)
OCaml's let … = … in … is very confusing. When nested, you can't tell how it's nested.

Programming Languages, OCaml, Syntax, Software Development

121 points by Qem 110 days ago | 135 comments

What does f(x) mean in C++? (biowpn.github.io)
It is universally agreed that C++ is a complex language. One reason is that its syntax is highly overloaded, meaning that the same code could mean many different things. Let’s do a simple mental exersice by considering the following code:

C++, Programming, Syntax, Code, Programming Languages

6 points by linkdd 116 days ago | 1 comments

Is `(expession, lvalue) = rvalue` a valid assignment in C or C++? (stackoverflow.com)
Some time ago I stumbled upon the idea of how a C construct, such as (expr0, expr1, expr2), evaluates (see "What does the comma operator , do?" for more context).

Programming, C, C++, Syntax, Language Features

37 points by susam 118 days ago | 13 comments

Zig's (.{}){} Syntax (openmymind.net)
One of the first pieces of Zig code that you're likely to see, and write, is this beginner-unfriendly line:

Zig, Programming Languages, Syntax

245 points by todsacerdoti 124 days ago | 164 comments

Rust's Most Subtle Syntax (zkrising.com)
Rust’s most subtle syntax is that constants, themselves, are patterns.

Rust, Programming Languages, Syntax

52 points by todsacerdoti 126 days ago | 14 comments

That's now valid syntax in Python 3.13 (reddit.com)
There are a few changes that didn't get much attention in the last releases, and one of them is that comprehensions and lambdas can now be used in annotations (the place where you put type hints).

Python, Programming Languages, Syntax, Type Hints

6 points by sametmax 135 days ago | 1 comments

The Ultimate Conditional Syntax (dl.acm.org)
Functional programming languages typically support expressive pattern-matching syntax allowing programmers to write concise and type-safe code, especially appropriate for manipulating algebraic data types.

Functional Programming, Programming Languages, Syntax

145 points by azhenley 140 days ago | 48 comments

Coding without braces: An alternate C Syntax (deusinmachina.net)
I recently stumbled upon an interesting piece of C language trivia that underscores how different computers were when C was first created. Specifically, C allows the use of digraphs (two letter combinations that represent a single letter) like <% and %> as alternatives of { and } and <: and :> as substitutes for [ and ]. The purpose of this was to provide an alternate syntax to support keyboards and character sets where braces and brackets were not available.

Programming Languages, C Language, History, Syntax, Trivia

6 points by todsacerdoti 149 days ago | 2 comments

Guile 3.0.10 now ships with support for parens-optional syntax (wisp) (draketo.de)
» I love the syntax of Python, but crave the simplicity and power of Lisp.«

Programming Languages, Lisp, Guile, Syntax, Python

37 points by Y_Y 178 days ago | 13 comments

Railroad Diagram Generator (from EBNF syntax) (red-dove.com)

Programming, Tools, Syntax

13 points by aargh_aargh 187 days ago | 2 comments

Rust's Ugly Syntax (2023) (matklad.github.io)

Rust, Programming Languages, Syntax

161 points by nequo 191 days ago | 165 comments

PEP 750: Tag Strings for Writing Domain-Specific Languages (python.org)