The Howdy Glossary

Wyvern is a statically typed programming language specifically designed to support typestate-oriented programming. It allows developers to define and enforce stateful behaviors directly within its type system, capturing complex state machine structures at compile time. This approach helps prevent various programmer errors and eliminates runtime logic errors through enforcement during compilation. Wyvern can compile down to vanilla Java and is also compatible with JavaScript and Python without needing browser plugins, making it versatile for different platforms.

Developed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, including Jonathan Aldrich, Joshua Sunshine, and Joe Pamer, Wyvern addresses the challenges of stateful programming by integrating typestates into the language's type system. This integration ensures that state machine structures are captured in the type system during compilation, preventing specific programmer errors and eliminating entire classes of runtime logic issues. The design as an extension to Java facilitates its seamless compatibility with other languages like JavaScript and Python.

Wyvern's competitive edge lies in its focus on typestate-oriented programming which distinguishes it from other statically typed languages such as Rust, Kotlin, or Swift that prioritize different aspects of type safety. By allowing developers to define and enforce stateful behaviors at the type level, it aims for robust error prevention through compilation-time enforcement. Its capacity to compile to vanilla Java alongside client-side compatibility with JavaScript and Python without browser plugins enhances its appeal across various development environments, providing a unified solution for developers accustomed to these ecosystems.