Domain Specific Language: Losing the original language
time to read 1 min | 183 words

Here is an interesting question, at what point you drive away so far from the original language that you lose the benefits of an internal DSL?

The following examples are several ways to represent the same thing, going from the extreme DSL to the no DSL to C#. I think that they all have value, and neither cross that line, but I believe that they will help make the point. The example here is a a simple MonoRail Controller:

#1:

controller Field:
    action Tag:
           @defaultTags = [ "green", "trees", "growth" ]

#2:

controller Field:
    def Tag():
         @defaultTags = [ "green", "trees", "growth" ]

#3:

controller Field:
    def Tag():
          PropertyBag["defaultTags"] = [ "green", "trees", "growth" ]

#4:

class FieldController(Controller):
   def Tag():
          PropertyBag["defaultTags"] = [ "green", "trees", "growth" ]

#5:

public class FieldController : Controller
{
	public void Tag()
	{
		PropertyBag["defaultTags"] = new string[] { "green", "trees", "growth" };
	}
}

Any comments?

Tweet Share Share 4 comments
Tags: