Dynamic

Duck Typing vs Static Typing

Developers should learn duck typing when working in dynamically-typed languages to write more generic and reusable code that focuses on what objects can do rather than what they are meets developers should use static typing in projects requiring high reliability, maintainability, and performance, such as large-scale enterprise applications, systems programming, or safety-critical software. Here's our take.

🧊Nice Pick

Duck Typing

Developers should learn duck typing when working in dynamically-typed languages to write more generic and reusable code that focuses on what objects can do rather than what they are

Duck Typing

Nice Pick

Developers should learn duck typing when working in dynamically-typed languages to write more generic and reusable code that focuses on what objects can do rather than what they are

Pros

  • +It's particularly useful for creating flexible APIs, implementing design patterns like strategy or adapter, and handling diverse data structures in a uniform way, such as iterating over collections regardless of their specific type
  • +Related to: dynamic-typing, polymorphism

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Static Typing

Developers should use static typing in projects requiring high reliability, maintainability, and performance, such as large-scale enterprise applications, systems programming, or safety-critical software

Pros

  • +It helps prevent type-related bugs, improves code documentation through explicit type annotations, and enables better tooling support like autocompletion and refactoring in IDEs
  • +Related to: type-systems, compiler-design

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Duck Typing if: You want it's particularly useful for creating flexible apis, implementing design patterns like strategy or adapter, and handling diverse data structures in a uniform way, such as iterating over collections regardless of their specific type and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Static Typing if: You prioritize it helps prevent type-related bugs, improves code documentation through explicit type annotations, and enables better tooling support like autocompletion and refactoring in ides over what Duck Typing offers.

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The Bottom Line
Duck Typing wins

Developers should learn duck typing when working in dynamically-typed languages to write more generic and reusable code that focuses on what objects can do rather than what they are

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