Elvish is a scripting language designed for both interactive shell use and writing larger programs. It features a unique combination of expressive syntax, convenient features like namespaces and built-in structured data, and a focus on performance. Its interactive mode offers a modern, user-friendly experience with features like directory listing integration and navigable command history. Elvish aims to be a powerful and productive tool for a variety of tasks, from simple command-line automation to complex system administration and application development.
Elvish is presented as a potent scripting language and a highly adaptable interactive shell, designed with the primary goal of empowering users in their interaction with computers. It aims to achieve this through a combination of carefully considered features that streamline common tasks, enhance expressiveness, and promote a more intuitive and enjoyable user experience.
As a scripting language, Elvish leverages a unique approach to concurrency based on pipelines and namespaces. This facilitates the construction of complex, parallel workflows with clear syntax and robust error handling. Its type system, while dynamic, offers enough structure to aid in code clarity and prevent common errors without being overly restrictive. Elvish also boasts a modular design, allowing users to extend its functionality with custom modules written in Elvish or Go, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of extensions and specialized tools.
As an interactive shell, Elvish distinguishes itself through several key innovations. Its completion system is highly context-aware, predicting commands, file paths, and even variable names based on the current environment and previously executed commands. It features a powerful history mechanism that goes beyond simple recall, allowing users to search and filter their command history with ease. Elvish also incorporates a built-in editor inspired by vi/vim, enabling efficient in-line editing of commands without leaving the shell environment. This editor is further enhanced by syntax highlighting and other visual cues to facilitate command construction and error detection.
The developers emphasize Elvish's focus on a user-friendly experience. This is reflected in its clean and consistent syntax, helpful error messages, and comprehensive documentation. The project is actively maintained and encourages community contributions, aiming to continuously refine and expand Elvish's capabilities based on user feedback and evolving needs. Elvish strives to be a powerful tool for both novice and experienced users, whether scripting complex automation tasks or navigating the intricacies of their operating system. It seeks to bridge the gap between the power of a full-fledged scripting language and the convenience of a traditional shell, creating a cohesive and efficient environment for interacting with the digital world.
Summary of Comments ( 31 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43843902
HN users discuss Elvish's unique features, like its structured data pipeline, concurrency model, and extensibility. Some praise its elegant design and expressive syntax, finding it a refreshing alternative to traditional shells. Others question its practicality and adoption potential, citing the steep learning curve and limited community support compared to established options like Bash or Zsh. Several commenters express interest in specific features, such as the editor and namespace features, while some share their personal experiences and configurations. Concerns about performance and Windows compatibility are also raised. Overall, there's a mixture of curiosity, enthusiasm, and skepticism regarding Elvish's place in the shell landscape.
The Hacker News thread for "Elvish – Powerful scripting language and versatile interactive shell" contains several comments discussing various aspects of the Elvish language.
A significant number of comments focus on Elvish's unique features and how they compare to other shells and scripting languages. One commenter appreciates the combination of shell features with a structured programming language, praising its error handling and testability compared to Bash. They also highlight the built-in support for structured data and the ability to write more robust scripts. Another user points out Elvish's innovative approach to completion, making it context-aware and more helpful than traditional completion mechanisms. The ability to explore command history with a dedicated keybinding is also mentioned favorably.
Several users discuss the practicalities of using Elvish. One expresses concern about the limited adoption and potential difficulties in finding assistance and community support. Another user mentions using Elvish for personal scripting tasks and enjoys the experience, while acknowledging that wider community adoption would be beneficial. The learning curve for new users is also discussed, with some suggesting that it might be steeper than other shells due to its unique design. One user expresses a desire for better documentation, particularly around modules and how they interact.
Performance is another topic of discussion. One commenter raises questions about Elvish's speed compared to more established shells, and another inquires about startup time. There's also mention of the language's garbage collection and how it might impact performance in certain scenarios.
Some comments delve into specific technical aspects. One user discusses the choice of Go as the implementation language, questioning its suitability for a shell. Another comment touches on the handling of signals and how it compares to other shells. There's also a brief discussion about the editor integration and its potential for improvement.
Overall, the comments reflect a mix of curiosity, appreciation, and cautious optimism towards Elvish. Many users acknowledge its innovative features and potential but also express concerns about its relatively small community and the learning curve associated with its unique approach. The thread provides valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of Elvish from the perspective of users and potential adopters.