Strong Typing vs Duck Typing

Developers should learn and use strong typing in languages like TypeScript, Java, or Rust to catch errors early in development, enhance code maintainability, and improve tooling support such as autocompletion and refactoring meets 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. Here's our take.

Strong Typing

Nice Pick

Developers should learn and use strong typing in languages like TypeScript, Java, or Rust to catch errors early in development, enhance code maintainability, and improve tooling support such as autocompletion and refactoring

Pros

• It is particularly valuable in large-scale applications, team environments, and systems requiring high reliability, as it prevents runtime type-related crashes and makes code intentions clearer
• Related to: type-systems, compiler-design

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

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

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

The Verdict

Use Strong Typing if: You want it is particularly valuable in large-scale applications, team environments, and systems requiring high reliability, as it prevents runtime type-related crashes and makes code intentions clearer and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Duck Typing if: You prioritize 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 over what Strong Typing offers.

The Bottom Line

Strong Typing wins

Developers should learn and use strong typing in languages like TypeScript, Java, or Rust to catch errors early in development, enhance code maintainability, and improve tooling support such as autocompletion and refactoring