[rthrfrd]

Sounds interesting!

But do you think it would be possible to achieve similar results without a new language, but with a declarative API in one of your existing languages (say, C++) instead?

If possible, that would remove a big adoption barrier, and avoid inevitably reinventing many language features.

[io_eric]

A C++ library could wrap DOM APIs (WebCC already does this), but achieving a fine-grained reactive model purely in library code involves major trade-offs

A dedicated compiler allows us to trace dependencies between state variables and DOM nodes at compile-time, generating direct imperative update code. To achieve similar ergonomics in a C++ library, you'd effectively have to rely on runtime tracking (like a distinct Signal graph or VDOM), which adds overhead.

[rthrfrd]

Thanks! WebCC looks interesting. I like the attempt to be lean, but in the context of running an entire browser, my personal choice would be for a little runtime overhead vs a new language and toolset.

All the best with it!

P.S. It would also be interesting to see how far it's possible to go with constexpr etc.

[bobajeff]

I've been looking into UI libraries lately like Qt and Slint and wondered why they chose to create a DSL over just using css, html and a little bit of js. But I imagine C++ generation from a small DSL is easier than js.