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ClojureScript VS PureScript

Compare ClojureScript VS PureScript and see what are their differences

ClojureScript logo ClojureScript

A Clojure compiler targeting JavaScript

PureScript logo PureScript

PureScript is a small strongly typed programming language that compiles to JavaScript.
  • ClojureScript Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-06
  • PureScript Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-12-19

We recommend LibHunt PureScript for discovery and comparisons of trending PureScript projects.

ClojureScript features and specs

  • Immutable Data Structures
    ClojureScript provides persistent, immutable data structures which simplify reasoning about code and avoiding unintended side effects.
  • Functional Programming
    ClojureScript is a Lisp that encourages functional programming, aiding the creation of concise and predictable code.
  • Interoperability with JavaScript
    ClojureScript can interoperate seamlessly with JavaScript, allowing access to JavaScript libraries and facilitating interaction with existing JavaScript codebases.
  • REPL Driven Development
    The REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop) in ClojureScript enables rapid testing and iteration of code, resulting in more efficient development processes.
  • Rich Ecosystem
    ClojureScript benefits from the rich ecosystem of Clojure libraries and tools, as well as those available in the JavaScript ecosystem.

Possible disadvantages of ClojureScript

  • Learning Curve
    ClojureScript has a steep learning curve for developers new to Lisp or functional programming paradigms, which may limit its initial adoption.
  • Compilation Overhead
    Unlike JavaScript, ClojureScript code needs to be compiled, which can add complexity and overhead to the development workflow.
  • Smaller Community
    ClojureScript has a smaller community compared to more mainstream JavaScript frameworks, which can affect the availability of resources and support.
  • Tooling Complexity
    Integrating ClojureScript into existing projects can be complex, and its tooling setup might not be as straightforward as more established JavaScript tools.
  • Performance
    While generally performant, ClojureScript applications can sometimes face performance penalties due to the abstraction layers involved.

PureScript features and specs

  • Strong Typing
    PureScript features a robust type system with advanced type inference, which can help catch errors at compile-time and increase code reliability.
  • Immutability
    PureScript promotes immutability by default, leading to more predictable and maintainable code, especially beneficial in concurrent applications.
  • JavaScript Interoperability
    PureScript can interoperate seamlessly with JavaScript, allowing developers to leverage existing JavaScript libraries and tools within PureScript projects.
  • Functional Programming
    PureScript is a purely functional language, offering all the advantages of functional programming such as higher-order functions, and a strong emphasis on functions as first-class citizens.
  • Safety and Predictability
    The language ensures safer and more predictable code by eliminating certain classes of runtime errors through compile-time checks.

Possible disadvantages of PureScript

  • Smaller Community
    Compared to more mainstream languages, PureScript has a smaller community, which can lead to fewer resources and libraries available.
  • Learning Curve
    PureScript's focus on functional programming and its type system can present a steep learning curve for developers unfamiliar with these concepts.
  • Tooling and Ecosystem
    The tooling and ecosystem around PureScript may not be as mature or extensive as those of more established languages, which can impact productivity.
  • Performance Overheads
    Due to its focus on immutability and the abstraction over JavaScript, some use-cases might face performance overheads compared to plain JavaScript.
  • Complexity in Interop
    Despite its capability to interoperate with JavaScript, managing the integration between PureScript and JavaScript can sometimes be complex and error-prone.

ClojureScript videos

How to use NPM Packages in ClojureScript

More videos:

  • Review - ClojureScript - Chris Houser
  • Review - ClojureScript Release - Rich Hickey

PureScript videos

Claudia Doppioslash | Building a Graphical IDE in Elm/Purescript

More videos:

  • Review - Haskell Livecoding - Working on PureScript's IDE (3)
  • Review - PureScript Meetup #13 Type Classes

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ClojureScript and PureScript)
Personal Finance
53 53%
47% 47
Financial Planner
48 48%
52% 52
Cryptocurrencies
100 100%
0% 0
Web Development
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using ClojureScript and PureScript. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ClojureScript should be more popular than PureScript. It has been mentiond 17 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ClojureScript mentions (17)

  • jQuery v4.0.0 Beta
    LISP in the browser! You end up having to shit a large runtime with your app but it all transpiles to vanilla JS. https://clojurescript.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Why don't browsers just build a non-JS interpreter?
    JS isn't perfect, but it's good enough. And there is ongoing effort to make it even better. Also, many other languages compile to JS (without WASM). Notably: - https://www.typescriptlang.org/ - https://coffeescript.org/ - https://clojurescript.org/ - https://www.transcrypt.org/ I wrote https://multi-launch.leftium.com, which is only 6% JS. The majority is Svelte (65%) + TypeScript (27%). ( - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Implement functional programming in Sass
    A few years ago, I started learning the ClojureScript language and quickly became fascinated with functional programming. One day, I wondered if it would be possible to implement a similar programming style in Sass, allowing for anonymous functions and threading macros. After conducting some experiments, I came up with the following Sass functions:. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • HTMX is the future
    I also didn't cheat by transpiling Clojure into JavaScript. (see ClojureScript). - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Which dialect to choose.
    Clojure has also a mature compiler to JavaScript. https://clojurescript.org/. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

PureScript mentions (2)

  • Building Mystery Mansion Madness without a UI Framework
    Before 2012, all of my websites were made using HTML, CSS and a sprinkling of JS. Then, I went all-in on AngularJS, followed by React. I started using Typescript and then PureScript and learned more frameworks like Halogen and Concur. I even wrote my own UI framework called purescript-deku. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Incrementally Adopting PureScript in a JavaScript Web Application
    I hope you get a chance to try PureScript out in your JS projects! For more learning resources, you can check out PureScript website. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing ClojureScript and PureScript, you can also consider the following products

ReasonML - ReasonML is a new face to OCaml that--when coupled with BuckleScript--makes web development easy...

Mint - Free personal finance software to assist you to manage your money, financial planning, and budget planning tools. Achieve your financial goals with Mint.

Tcl - Already one of the world's best-selling consumer electronics brands, TCL is now the fastest-growing TV brand in North America. TCL TVs feature stylish design and the latest technology.

Haste - Decreases ping in video games.

Scala.js - Build robust front-end web applications in Scala with Scala.js

Elm - A type inferred, functional reactive language that compiles to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript