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If I like Ruby a lot, is there a reason why I should learn another language now, like Lua or Erlang?

If I like Ruby a lot, is there a reason why I should learn another language now, like Lua or Erlang?

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New programming languages, like spoken languages, can open up new perspectives. Learning new languages ​​- especially those that are different from what you are used to (and Erlang is likely to comply with this bill) - can teach you many other things that you didn't even know you didn't know about programming. So yes, I think you absolutely need it, even if you just learn enough to mess with it and feel the new language.

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Learning a functional language in particular can be extremely useful. Getting to know the functional programming style is a sure step towards becoming a better programmer. Lisp (or its derivatives), in particular, is a good language to learn. Here's a list of past SO topics that may offer you some insight into these lines:

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Leaving aside the (excellent) common reasons to want to learn another language, if you like Ruby, you might want to

  • Learn Smalltalk, a language very similar to Ruby, but in a cleaner way.

  • Learn a language that is very, very different, say something based on the types and functions of algebraic data, and not on objects and methods, and something like a system of static type, not a system of dynamic type, but something that, like Ruby, will support powerful programming methods and general programming. Good candidates will include Standard ML and Haskell .

  • Learn a language that is very, very different from what allows you to control every bit, address and word in memory - something that makes you understand and take control of the hardware. In other words, learn C.

As for the other languages ​​you mention

  • Lua is small and very elegantly designed and implemented. This may please the rubist in you. But, unlike Ruby, it does not impose much of the worldview; This is more of a collection of parts. I would suggest that you would most likely appreciate and enjoy Lua after you first worked in three or four other languages.

  • Erlang is interesting, but I feel that it is too different (purely functional, distributed) or not quite different (dynamic type system). But if he turns to you, go for it.

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On the other hand, there is something to be said in order to know the language well. You can do much more with in-depth knowledge of one language than with a superficial knowledge of a dozen.

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If you like Ruby a lot, you should definitely learn another language ... one without sigils , if possible.

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It seems to me that a professional is studying the tools that he needs to use. Frames, containers, languages, all this is an honest game. I started in Pascal, went to C, and then to C ++. Then converted to Java. These days its mostly Java with lots of Javascript and some PHP. Easy enough? Well, I also need to learn Bash and Perl scripts. Ignore the rest of the crap that I need to get on top of (if you say you understand all authentication on the Internet, I will call you a liar). There are a lot of things. Come in. Get ready to try different things.

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I always like to learn new languages ​​for a simple challenge. It holds my brain. I also found that for a good interview feed you can say: "I am flexible, I adapt to what may be in the future, and I can prove it with my long list of languages."

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My main language is PHP. I am a fan of the script language, however, I plunged into C #, Java, Python, Ruby, and even OO JavaScript books to find new mechanisms, ways of thinking. For example, I found quite a few tricks in Java that I could implement in my daily work. So learning or just learning new languages ​​can expand your perspective.

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