Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Scala.js VS PureScript

Compare Scala.js VS PureScript and see what are their differences

Scala.js logo Scala.js

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

PureScript logo PureScript

PureScript is a small strongly typed programming language that compiles to JavaScript.
  • Scala.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-23
  • PureScript Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-12-19

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

Scala.js features and specs

  • Strong Type System
    Scala.js brings Scala’s powerful type system to JavaScript development, reducing runtime errors and enhancing code reliability and safety.
  • Interoperability with JavaScript
    Seamlessly interoperates with JavaScript libraries and frameworks, allowing developers to utilize existing JavaScript tools and APIs.
  • Code Reusability
    Facilitates code sharing between server and client-side codebases when using Scala on both ends, increasing productivity and maintainability.
  • Functional Programming
    Supports functional programming paradigms which can lead to more concise and expressive code compared to traditional JavaScript.
  • Ecosystem
    Access to a wide range of Scala libraries thanks to the ability to use JVM-based libraries, enhanced by the 'Scala.js-specific libraries'.

Possible disadvantages of Scala.js

  • Build Complexity
    Requires a more complex build setup compared to vanilla JavaScript projects, introducing a learning curve for new developers.
  • Performance Overhead
    The additional abstraction layer can sometimes result in performance overhead when compared to native JavaScript.
  • Community and Support
    Smaller community compared to JavaScript, which can result in fewer resources, tutorials, and community support for problem-solving.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers need to learn Scala, which might be difficult for those not familiar with functional programming and type safety concepts.
  • Tooling Limitations
    Though improving, tooling support, especially for debugging in a pure Scala.js environment, might not be as robust as native JavaScript tools.

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.

Scala.js videos

Deriving the Frontend — Form Combinator Fun with Scala.js

More videos:

  • Review - Laminar – Smooth UI Development with Scala.js

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 Scala.js and PureScript)
Personal Finance
46 46%
54% 54
Financial Planner
46 46%
54% 54
Android
46 46%
54% 54
Web Development
34 34%
66% 66

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PureScript seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 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.

Scala.js mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Scala.js yet. Tracking of Scala.js recommendations started around Mar 2021.

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 Scala.js and PureScript, you can also consider the following products

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

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

Haste - Decreases ping in video games.

Amber - Bitcoin on autopilot

EarlGrey - EarlGrey is a native iOS UI automation test framework that enables you to write clear, concise tests.

ClojureScript - A Clojure compiler targeting JavaScript