The Howdy Glossary

ClojureScript is a programming language that compiles to JavaScript, designed for concurrent programming and inspired by Lisp. It shares features with its parent language, Clojure, such as immutable data structures and first-class functions. This enables it to run in any JavaScript environment or be compiled into standalone applications using tools like Node.js or Webpack. Known for simplicity, developers often use ClojureScript in web development, taking advantage of advanced compilation modes through tools like Google Closure Compiler.

Rich Hickey, the creator of the Clojure programming language, developed ClojureScript to bring the power of Clojure to front-end web development by compiling it to JavaScript. He aimed to provide a simplified yet expressive language that integrates seamlessly with existing JavaScript ecosystems while maintaining functional and concurrent programming capabilities. This design allows developers to leverage strengths from both languages for sophisticated web applications.

ClojureScript's unique features include immutable data structures enhancing data integrity and simplifying concurrency; first-class functions promoting a functional programming paradigm; and seamless interoperability with existing JavaScript libraries. Competitors like TypeScript focus on adding static typing to JavaScript, Elm emphasizes immutability and functional purity for web applications, while ReasonML offers strong static typing similar syntactically familiar elements for Java developers transitioning into web application domains. Despite these differences, ClojureScript stands out due to its roots in functional programming principles from Lisp-inspired approaches combined with robust performance optimization techniques facilitated by tools like Google Closure Compiler.