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MLton VS Java

Compare MLton VS Java and see what are their differences

MLton logo MLton

MLton is an open-source, whole-program, optimizing Standard ML compiler

Java logo Java

A concurrent, class-based, object-oriented, language specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible
  • MLton Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-25
  • Java Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

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

MLton features and specs

  • Performance
    MLton is known for producing highly optimized, efficient executables due to its whole-program compilation approach. This can result in faster performance compared to other Standard ML compilers.
  • Standard ML Compliance
    MLton has strong adherence to the Standard ML language specification, ensuring that programs written for MLton are highly portable and conform to the expected language standards.
  • Rich Optimization
    The compiler includes numerous optimization techniques, enabling better runtime performance and memory usage for compiled applications.
  • Large Language Support
    MLton supports the full breadth of the Standard ML language, including advanced features like functors and modules.

Possible disadvantages of MLton

  • Compilation Time
    Due to its whole-program optimization techniques, MLton can take longer to compile programs compared to other compilers that use separate compilation.
  • Executable Size
    Although MLton optimizes for performance, this can sometimes result in larger executable sizes than compilers that don't perform as many optimizations.
  • Limited Interactivity
    MLton is optimized for batch processing and does not provide interactive development features like a REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop), which can be a downside for some developers used to interactive programming environments.
  • Platform Availability
    While MLton supports several platforms, its availability may not be as widespread as other more commonly used programming environments, which could limit use in certain contexts.

Java features and specs

  • Platform Independence
    Java is known for its portability across multiple platforms via the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). This means you can write code once and run it anywhere.
  • Large Standard Library
    Java boasts a comprehensive standard library, which facilitates development by providing pre-built solutions for a wide array of programming tasks.
  • Robust and Secure
    Java emphasizes strong memory management and has built-in security features, making it a reliable choice for applications requiring high levels of security.
  • Community Support
    With a vast and active community, ample resources are available for learning and troubleshooting. Numerous libraries and frameworks are available due to its long-standing presence.
  • Performance
    Modern Java versions offer performance that is generally very good for many applications, particularly server-side applications where the Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler can significantly optimize runtime performance.

Possible disadvantages of Java

  • Verbosity
    Java's syntax can be verbose compared to newer languages, requiring more lines of code to accomplish the same tasks, which may reduce readability.
  • Memory Consumption
    Java applications can be memory-intensive due to their reliance on the JVM, which can be a downside for resource-constrained environments.
  • Performance Overhead
    Despite its generally good performance, Java's reliance on the JVM introduces some overhead compared to languages that compile to native machine code, such as C++.
  • No Low-Level Programming
    Java abstracts away from the hardware, making it less suitable for low-level programming tasks that require direct hardware manipulation, such as embedded systems programming.
  • Slow Startup Time
    Java applications can have slower startup times due to the overhead of JVM initialization, which can be a drawback for desktop applications or command-line tools that are frequently started and stopped.

MLton videos

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Java videos

AP Computer Science in 10 Minutes (Java review)

More videos:

  • Review - Java AP CS Exam Review
  • Review - Top Five Basic Programming Concepts of Object-Oriented Java - Six Minute Refresher!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MLton and Java)
OOP
14 14%
86% 86
Programming Language
12 12%
88% 88
Generic Programming Language
IDE
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

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Java Reviews

The 10 Best Programming Languages to Learn Today
If you want to build your career in IoT or big data, Java is arguably the best programming language to learn. Java is cross-platform compatible and offers portability and versatility to almost any type of device, making it ideal for IoT applications. The Apache Hadoop big data processing system is also written in Java.
Source: ict.gov.ge
Alternatives to Nmap: from simple to advanced network scanning
This tool can provide favorite IP address ranges, NetBIOS information and web server detection. More features can be added by installing Java plugins.

Social recommendations and mentions

Java might be a bit more popular than MLton. We know about 7 links to it since March 2021 and only 5 links to MLton. 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.

MLton mentions (5)

  • Simple JSON parser in c++, rust, ocaml, standard ml
    Once I got the parser ready in OCaml, I thought I port it to Standard ML, since it belong to the same ML language family. I was also curious on how well mlton could optimise it. The language lacks custom let bindings, so I resorted to use Result.bind manually. This makes code much less readable and more verbose. The standard library also lacks result type, so I had to come up with my own simple implementation.... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Ante: A low-level functional language
    If you’re fine with tracing GC (which depends on the situation, of course), Standard ML is a perfectly boring language (that IIUC predated and inspired Caml) and MLton[1] is a very nice optimizing compiler for it. The language is awkward at times (in particular, the separate sublanguage of modules can be downright unwieldy), and the library has some of the usual blind spots such as nonexistent Unicode support... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • Write your own programming language in an hour with Chumsky
    Unfortunately, I haven't found a ton of "easily-digestible" and, at the same time, comprehensive guides on compiling functional languages. Generally you'll find a mix of blog posts/class notes/papers covering a single step. Some resources I like: - Andrew Kennedy's 2007 paper Compiling with Continuations, Continued [1]. This one is the most clear IMO - Andrew Appel's Compiling with Continuations book... - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • Why are imperative programs considered faster than their functional counterparts?
    More broadly, they can be fast even without such extensions if they aggressively pursue optimization opportunities afforded by static typing, like MLton for example, but that also impacts compilation performance negatively. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Coalton: How to Have Our (Typed) Cake and (Safely) Eat It Too, in Common Lisp
    According to the OP, it's from http://mlton.org/ (see https://coalton-lang.github.io/20211010-introducing-coalton/#acknowledgements ). - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago

Java mentions (7)

  • Can someone help with port forwarding?
    You can use UPnP PortMapper. Source code/Download. All you need is Java and that's it. Hope this helps. Source: about 3 years ago
  • PolyGlot 3.5 Release
    I would definitely suggest installing Java for this one, and the error should have asked you to do so. I'll have to look into why that was not popping properly for you and address it in a bug fix. In the mean time, you can address the issue by going here to install Java: https://java.com/en/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • i need help pls
    Https://java.com/en/ Is this the java you're using to install optifine. When I first got optifine I thought java meant Minecraft and not java. Source: over 3 years ago
  • I keep getting this error when I try to install Worldpainter
    I had this problem before just go to https://java.com/en/ and download the java then you will have to install the actual java, then after its installed go to This PC then Windows then Program Files then Java then go to the file name file name that show I think when you downloaded it then go into bin and you will find a java.exe file then click it and World Painter will install and that's who I solved king problem... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • What to do immediately with a brand new build?
    Java, Adobe Reader, Handbrake (great for converting and adjusting videos). Source: almost 4 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing MLton and Java, you can also consider the following products

Poly/ML - The Poly/ML implementation of Standard ML – full multiprocessor support in the thread library and garbage collector, interactive debugger, fast compiler.

Python - Python is a clear and powerful object-oriented programming language, comparable to Perl, Ruby, Scheme, or Java.

OCaml - (* Binary tree with leaves carrying an integer.

JavaScript - Lightweight, interpreted, object-oriented language with first-class functions

Racket Lang - Racket (formerly PLT Scheme) is a modern programming language in the Lisp/Scheme family, suitable...

Rust - A safe, concurrent, practical language