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V (programming language) VS Elm

Compare V (programming language) VS Elm and see what are their differences

V (programming language) logo V (programming language)

Simple, fast, safe, compiled language for developing maintainable software.

Elm logo Elm

A type inferred, functional reactive language that compiles to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  • V (programming language) Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-25
  • Elm Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-09-23

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

V (programming language) features and specs

  • Fast Compilation
    V is designed to compile extremely fast, typically within less than a second, regardless of the size of the codebase.
  • Simplicity
    The syntax is simple and easy to learn, drawing inspiration from languages like Go and Python which reduces the learning curve for new developers.
  • Performance
    V aims to offer high performance akin to C, enabling developers to write highly efficient programs.
  • Safe Programming
    It includes built-in mechanisms to avoid common bugs and aims to provide safety features like immutable data structures and option types.
  • Single Binary
    V produces a single small binary without external dependencies, making distribution straightforward and more secure.
  • Cross-Platform
    V supports cross-compilation out of the box, allowing developers to build applications for multiple operating systems from a single codebase.

Possible disadvantages of V (programming language)

  • Maturing Ecosystem
    As a relatively new language, V's ecosystem, including libraries, frameworks, and community support, is still growing and may not be as mature as more established languages.
  • Limited Tooling
    Compared to more established languages, tools like IDE support, debuggers, and other development utilities are still limited or in early stages.
  • Smaller Community
    The community around V is smaller, which can result in fewer resources, tutorials, and third-party libraries being available.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the syntax is simple, mastering some of V's advanced features and paradigms may pose a learning curve to developers coming from more mainstream languages.
  • Rapid Changes
    As the language is still evolving, there can be rapid changes and updates which may introduce breaking changes or require frequent revisions of codebases.

Elm features and specs

  • Strong Type System
    Elm's type system is designed to catch errors at compile-time, reducing runtime errors and improving code reliability. It emphasizes immutability, making it easier to reason about and maintain code.
  • No Runtime Exceptions
    Elm enforces safety with its type system, ensuring that runtime exceptions are almost impossible. This leads to more robust and predictable applications.
  • Friendly Error Messages
    Elm's compiler provides exceptionally helpful and user-friendly error messages, which make debugging easier and learning the language more approachable.
  • Optimized Performance
    Elm's compiler generates highly optimized JavaScript, resulting in fast and efficient applications. Performance tuning is handled by the compiler, freeing developers from many optimization concerns.
  • Functional Programming
    Elm is purely functional, promoting a clear and declarative coding style. It encourages developers to write more predictable and maintainable code by leveraging functional programming principles.
  • Built-In Architecture
    The Elm Architecture (Model-Update-View) provides a consistent pattern for building applications, which can simplify the development process and improve code organization.
  • Interoperability with JavaScript
    Elm allows you to seamlessly integrate with existing JavaScript code through ports, giving you the flexibility to gradually adopt Elm or work with libraries that are not available in Elm.

Possible disadvantages of Elm

  • Small Ecosystem
    Elm's ecosystem is relatively small compared to more established languages like JavaScript or TypeScript, meaning there are fewer libraries and tools available, which might limit certain functionalities out of the box.
  • Learning Curve
    Elmโ€™s functional programming paradigm and strict type system can be challenging for developers who are not familiar with functional programming, leading to a steep learning curve.
  • Limited Developer Community
    The Elm community is smaller compared to other languages, which can make finding support or example projects more difficult. This might also affect the availability of tutorials and learning resources.
  • Interoperability Overhead
    While interoperability with JavaScript is possible through ports, it introduces additional complexity and overhead, making integrated projects more challenging to manage.
  • Slower Release Cycle
    Elm's development and release cycle can be slower compared to other technologies. Updates and new features might take longer to be released, impacting the adoption of cutting-edge practices.
  • Single File Approach
    In Elm, managing large codebases can be problematic due to the lack of support for splitting code into multiple modules or files akin to solutions in other languages, which can make the code less modular and harder to navigate.

Analysis of V (programming language)

Overall verdict

  • V is a promising language for developers looking for performance and simplicity, with a distinct focus on developer experience. However, as it is relatively new, it still has a smaller community and ecosystem compared to established languages.

Why this product is good

  • V is designed to be simple, fast, and easy to use, drawing inspiration from languages like Go and Rust. It offers fast compilation, cross-platform capabilities, safety features like option types and memory management without a garbage collector, and a strong emphasis on simplicity.

Recommended for

  • Developers interested in a language with fast compilation times.
  • Projects where compile time performance and efficiency are crucial.
  • Developers who want to try a language that combines the principles of simplicity and speed.
  • Enthusiasts looking to be part of a growing community and contribute to an emerging language.

Analysis of Elm

Overall verdict

  • Elm is a good choice for developers who appreciate functional programming and want a robust, type-safe environment for web development. Its features make it particularly well-suited for projects where reliability and maintainability are critical.

Why this product is good

  • Elm is a functional programming language that is designed for building reliable and maintainable web applications with a focus on simplicity and quality tooling. Its strong type system helps catch errors during compile time, eliminating a whole class of runtime exceptions. Elm also has an emphasis on immutability and functional programming practices, which can lead to more predictable code.

Recommended for

  • Developers interested in functional programming
  • Teams looking for a language with a strong type system
  • Projects where web application stability and reliability are crucial
  • Those wanting to avoid runtime errors with compile-time guarantees
  • Developers who value simplicity and developer-friendly tooling

V (programming language) videos

V Programming Language (Vlang): First Impression - Mike Shah

More videos:

  • Review - Introduction to V and its features (Sydney Computing Society)
  • Review - Testing the NEW "V" programming language!
  • Demo - Presentation of Vlang at IBM
  • Review - An introduction to V (Vlang)

Elm videos

Nightmare on Elm St (series review)

More videos:

  • Review - A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - Movie Review
  • Review - A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master - Movie Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to V (programming language) and Elm)
Programming Language
47 47%
53% 53
OOP
61 61%
39% 39
Generic Programming Language
Javascript UI Libraries
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Elm should be more popular than V (programming language). It has been mentiond 127 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.

V (programming language) mentions (78)

  • Is possible a language easy as py, fast as C, more secure than Rust?
    How about v-lang? https://vlang.io/ Not python, but, go-like syntax, and satisfies other stuff you mentioned. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Solod โ€“ A Subset of Go That Translates to C
    Somewhat similar language, https://vlang.io Itโ€™s a mix of go and rust syntax that translates to C. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Odin: Moving Towards a New "core:OS"
    Language explorers looking for lower level languages like this may also want to take a peek at the V language. https://vlang.io/ I won't say with confidence either is better than the other; but I think both are worth a look. Odin (iiuc) always makes you manage memory; Vlang permits you to, but does also have linking to the Boehm GC that it will generate for you in most cases. Vlang and Odin in terms of syntax and... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Go is still not good
    There are other choices of languages, that are close to and influenced by Golang. Languages such as Odin[1] and Vlang[2] (which addresses several issues mentioned). Even more, they are at the stage where advance programmers can contribute or influence them in the ways that they might find satisfactory. Golang is too far down the road and cemented in its ways, to expect such significant changes in direction. [1]:... - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Koto Programming Language
    > For me the biggest gap in programming languages is a rust like language with a garbage collector, instead of a borrow checker. https://vlang.io. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

Elm mentions (127)

  • Play: UI Layouts in PureScript
    With this article I hope to attract more attention to the languages like PureScript, or Unison or LEAN, or Haskell or Elm and its descendants, because they not only bring mathematical beauty in the world (I say it from the position of the guy who totally didn't like maths at school, though gladly read books from Martin Gardner or Lewis Carroll about Logic), but also the code written using them is stable, easy to... - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • What it was like to give a talk at Clojure South 2025
    I had two possible topics in mind. One about teaching Clojure and Functional Programming to beginners (because of my course Clojure: Introduรงรฃo ร  Programaรงรฃo Funcional; an Introduction to Functional Programming through Clojure, for Brazilians). And another about a project I built at the company where I work, using Clojure in the backend and the programming language Elm for the front-end. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • How was my experience at Lambda Days 2025
    For those who donโ€™t know him, Evan is the creator of the Elm programming language and probably my favorite speaker! I am a great admirer of his technical abilities, but I am also equally impressed by the philosophical ideas he often includes in his speeches. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • How to build a reliable web application with Elm, GraphQL, PostGraphile and PostgreSQL
    To do that, we will use the Elm programming language. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • 3 Options to Avoid Side-Effects in Web Dev
    Use languages that donโ€™t have side-effects; Elm for UI, and Roc for API/CLI. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing V (programming language) and Elm, 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.

Kotlin - Statically typed Programming Language targeting JVM and JavaScript

D (Programming Language) - D is a language with C-like syntax and static typing.

Elixir - Dynamic, functional language designed for building scalable and maintainable applications

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

F# - F# is a mature, open source, cross-platform, functional-first programming language.