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Crystal (programming language) VS Xojo

Compare Crystal (programming language) VS Xojo and see what are their differences

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Crystal (programming language) logo Crystal (programming language)

Programming language with Ruby-like syntax that compiles to efficient native code.

Xojo logo Xojo

Real Software and Real Studio are now Xojo.
  • Crystal (programming language) Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-26
  • Xojo Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-28

Crystal (programming language) features and specs

  • Performance
    Crystal is designed to have the performance of C, thanks to its compilation to efficient native code. Its static type system and low-level memory management capabilities allow optimized execution.
  • Syntax
    Crystal offers a syntax that is heavily inspired by Ruby, making it intuitive and familiar for Ruby developers. This can significantly reduce the learning curve and improve developer productivity.
  • Type Inference
    Crystal provides powerful type inference, enabling developers to write less boilerplate code while still benefiting from the safety and performance of a statically-typed language.
  • Concurrency
    Crystal supports lightweight concurrency with fibers, which allows developers to write efficient and scalable concurrent programs with a simpler syntax compared to traditional threading models.
  • Community and Ecosystem
    Crystal has an active and growing community. It also boasts a rich ecosystem with libraries and tools, making it easier for developers to find resources and support.

Possible disadvantages of Crystal (programming language)

  • Maturity
    Crystal is still a relatively young language compared to more established languages like Python or Java. This can mean fewer resources, libraries, and tools, as well as potential instability in certain areas.
  • Compilation Time
    Crystal's compilation times can be slower compared to interpreted languages, particularly for larger codebases. This can impact development workflows and iteration speed.
  • Binary Size
    Compiled Crystal programs tend to generate larger binary sizes compared to other compiled languages like Go or Rust. This can be a consideration for resource-constrained environments.
  • Platform Support
    Being less mature, Crystal may have fewer options for platform-specific optimizations and integrations, which could limit its use in certain specialized applications.
  • Tooling
    Although the situation is improving, Crystal's tooling ecosystem is not as mature as those of older languages. This can affect the availability and quality of IDE support, debugging tools, and other development aids.

Xojo features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Development
    Xojo allows users to create native applications for multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and the web from a single codebase. This simplifies development and reduces the effort required to maintain different versions of the same app.
  • Rapid Application Development
    The Visual IDE (Integrated Development Environment) provided by Xojo enables rapid prototyping and development. Users can drag and drop UI elements, which makes it easy to create complex user interfaces quickly.
  • Versatile Language Support
    Xojo uses a unique language that combines elements from various programming languages. It is straightforward enough for beginners to pick up while still being powerful for more advanced tasks.
  • Active Community and Support
    Xojo has a vibrant community and offers various forms of support, including forums, documentation, and dedicated customer service. This can be very beneficial for troubleshooting and learning best practices.
  • Regular Updates
    The platform receives frequent updates, which include new features, bug fixes, and improvements. This ensures that developers have access to the latest tools and functionalities.

Possible disadvantages of Xojo

  • Performance Limitations
    While Xojo is powerful for developing various applications, it may not be the best choice for highly performance-intensive applications, particularly those requiring extensive optimization.
  • Licensing Costs
    Xojo's licensing model can be considered expensive, especially for individual developers or small teams. The cost may be a barrier for some users considering long-term use.
  • Limited Third-Party Integrations
    Compared to more widely-adopted development platforms, Xojo has fewer third-party libraries and integrations. This limitation can make it harder to extend the platform with additional functionalities.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its simplicity, there is still a learning curve associated with mastering Xojo, especially for developers accustomed to more conventional programming languages. This may require additional time and resources for training.
  • Less Popular
    Xojo is not as widely used as some other development platforms, which means there are fewer resources, tutorials, and third-party tools available. This could be a limiting factor for some developers.

Crystal (programming language) videos

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Xojo videos

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More videos:

  • Review - What is Xojo?
  • Review - Xojo 2020 with Geoff Perlman

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Crystal (programming language) and Xojo)
Programming Language
86 86%
14% 14
IDE
0 0%
100% 100
OOP
100 100%
0% 0
Text Editors
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

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Crystal (programming language) Reviews

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Xojo Reviews

12 Best Frameworks and Toolkits to Build Desktop Applications
If you are looking for a beginner-friendly framework, Xojo can be a good option. It is a cross-platform application development framework with a simple drag-and-drop user interface. Developers with basic web development skills can easily use this platform to build desktop applications.
Source: geekflare.com
Frameworks & Tools to Develop Cross-Platform Desktop Apps – Best of
Xojo is a programming environment available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. With its Xojo IDE, it provides an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop UI builder, and its own language for coding your application. The IDE also allows testing the app immediately, and when it’s ready, it converts this app to run on multiple platforms.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Crystal (programming language) seems to be a lot more popular than Xojo. While we know about 114 links to Crystal (programming language), we've tracked only 5 mentions of Xojo. 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.

Crystal (programming language) mentions (114)

  • Rhombus Language
    Did you ever see Crystal? It's more or less a typed Ruby. I've heard that you can port some code directly. https://crystal-lang.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Tiny JITs for a Faster FFI
    If you like the Ruby syntax (but want a statically typed language), you might want to take a look at Crystal: https://crystal-lang.org/ > Crystal is statically typed and type errors are caught early by the compiler, eliminating a range of type-related errors at runtime. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Advent of Code #1 (in Gleam)
    I really enjoyed using Crystal last year. It is a very ergonomic language with a featureful standard library. I was tempted to use it again this year, but I figured I should use this opportunity to try something new. After considering several languages including Go, F#, Nim, and Raku, I decided to go with Gleam. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Understanding Ruby 3.3 Concurrency: A Comprehensive Guide
    Also check https://crystal-lang.org/ which aims for ruby like syntax/dx but almost native performance. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Crystal 1.11.0 Is Released
    I like the first code example on https://crystal-lang.org
        # A very basic HTTP server.
    - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

Xojo mentions (5)

  • PysimpleGUI
    Xojo is basically VB6's spiritual successor. https://xojo.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Why did Visual Basic die?
    For anyone looking for a modern alternative to Visual Basic, you might want to take a look at Xojo. Xojo's a rapid application development platform (both a language and an IDE) that you can use to develop desktop apps (for macOS, Windows, Linux), Web apps, mobile apps (for iOS and Android), as well as console apps. It's been around for more than 20 years, and some of you might remember it from back when it was... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Small Visual Basic
    I really recommend Xojo[1] (formally RealBasic). It’s like a modern VB6 but runs on macOS, Windows and many flavours of Linux. It has very polished drag and drop UI editor. I’ve been developing with it for over 20 years and my 10 year old daughter is now learning programming with it. You can create and debug apps for free and only need a license to deploy an app as a binary so it’s ideal to learn with. Heck, it... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Do any of you code with/on steno?
    I have yet to get into actual programming, but when I do, it will probably be with the multi-platform programming environment called XoJo. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Performance Improvements in .NET 6
    I've been using Xojo (https://xojo.com) for about 15 years now to make cross-platform GUI apps. The language is similar to VB6 but it's been constantly updated. No affiliation, just a happy customer. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Crystal (programming language) and Xojo, you can also consider the following products

Nim (programming language) - The Nim programming language is a concise, fast programming language that compiles to C, C++ and JavaScript.

PureBasic - Fantaisie Software Official WebSite. PureBasic - Feel The Pure Power. PureBasic is a programming language based on established BASIC rules.

Go Programming Language - Go, also called golang, is a programming language initially developed at Google in 2007 by Robert...

B4X - Cross platform development tools for native iOS, Android, desktop and server applications.

V (programming language) - Simple, fast, safe, compiled language for developing maintainable software.

FreeBASIC - FreeBASIC is a completely free, open-source, 32-bit BASIC compiler, with syntax similar to...