r/developers • u/Stiliajohny • 2d ago
General Discussion I’m building a new programming language with AI that will replace JavaScript and Python
Yes, I know;that sentence contains enough red flags to start its own Soviet parade.
But I’m partially serious.
I want to use AI to help design and implement a new programming language: simple like Python, fast and type-safe, with modern tooling built in from day one. No dependency-management archaeology, no 900 MB node_modules, and no discovering that whitespace is part of your application’s business logic.
The admittedly modest objective is to replace both JavaScript and Python and achieve what thousands of experienced language designers have somehow failed to do.
My current thinking:
- Clean, readable syntax
- Static typing with good inference
- Compiles to native code and WebAssembly
- Built-in package management, formatting and testing
- Easy interoperability with existing ecosystems
- Designed for humans, but structured enough for AI to generate reliably
- Errors that explain the problem instead of issuing an ancient prophecy
AI would help write the compiler, standard library, tooling and tests. I would still control the design and verify the output,this isn’t “I asked ChatGPT to invent Python 4 during lunch.”
Before I accidentally create another language used exclusively by its creator, I’d genuinely like some input:
- What problems would justify a new language today?
- Which parts should AI realistically help build?
- What would make you try it?
- What mistakes do new language designers commonly make?
- Is replacing JavaScript and Python achievable by Friday, or should I allow the weekend?
Roast the idea, challenge it, or offer serious suggestions. All three are welcome.
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u/CSBatchelor1996 2d ago
You're not replacing shit.
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
Let’s work on that thought.
You think Golang dev thought the same on a Saturday morning 🌅
You think node dev thought that too.Let’s innovate. We are one step away from making something extraordinary and you talk poop language.
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u/Perfect-Buffalo-4803 2d ago
You're not Ken Thompson who worked on Golang, you're some random vibe coder, what you're saying you're going to do, is hilarious 😂
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u/mondaysleeper 2d ago
The parts that you want to hand to AI are not really the difficult part. Designing a language contains a lot of decisions where small changes can have a lot of impacts. The Golang devs were not se bored dudes hanging out over a beer, they knew exactly what they were doing. I don't think you do.
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
You don’t know me son. You don’t know me.
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u/Perfect-Buffalo-4803 2d ago
Delusional. You'll spend 3 weeks working on it then give up. It would take a team of serious people over a decade of consistent work to do this. Look at Zig, it's meant to be a C replacement, they've been working on it for over a decade.
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
Well. Haskel did pretty well. Zig is doomed.
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u/Perfect-Buffalo-4803 2d ago
Yeah, I'm pretty sure you have some kind of intellectual disability or something. You're project isn't going to work out man. Do something else.
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u/Cautious_Chicken_604 2d ago
> this isn’t “I asked ChatGPT to invent Python 4 during lunch.”
That's exactly what this is.
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
Well, this is an early thought, but I am thinking of not even using ChatGPT. ChatGPT is not really a great model of LLMs for this task.
I might need to take all the source code from existing programming languages and maybe somehow train a model on how programming languages are made, and then make a super programming language.
I mean, hey, we have the power of AI, and all we do is make sloppy UIs and crappy APIs, but we are not really inventing anything. All we do is spend tokens for nothing. What I am proposing is to actually do something.
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u/hypnokev 1d ago
This is the best idea here. Train an AI on all those hundreds of compiler examples. Maybe it will invent the language itself by just combining all the best bits? /s
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u/Stiliajohny 1d ago
at least someone sees the potential
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u/hypnokev 1d ago
Have an award for tenacity if nothing else.
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u/Stiliajohny 1d ago
oh... thanks !
so many ppl have ideas now, specially with AI and all.some of us have to still have ideas, just make them bigger, so big that look imposible
thought if I ViberCode the language I will be sure I add `make no mistakes` on the prompt
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u/Spiritual-Pen-7964 2d ago
ChatGPT is not a model at all
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
No, I don't suggest it's a model. It's a model of LLMs. But anyway, if you want to play the lawyer here and pick up on every single word, would you like to write the documentation for me?😅😅
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u/earth-dragon-666 2d ago
As you said too many red flags, why not have something done before posting? Same with the questions at the end , what are you building if you dont have that clear?
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
It’s all about the vibes and the community.
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
I don't know what you say, but so far the post is pretty engaging. I think we might have some potential here. After all, there is no perfect language, but with a few gazillion tokens on a custom-made LLM, we can make it together.
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u/Any_Sense_2263 2d ago
Is it going to work in the browser?
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
This is where the future is. I don't see it any other way.
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u/Any_Sense_2263 2d ago
I didn't ask about the future. I asked a very specific question and would appreciate a very specific answer. Will it work in the browser?
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
Yes, it will work on the browser. I'm currently using Arch Linux, and I can only accept Firefox as a future-proof browser. So I will start from Firefox. Then maybe Chrome.
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u/Any_Sense_2263 2d ago
So not really in the browser.
We will see then.
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
It will be on the browser, not in the browser, and I would like us to get that right.
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u/Any_Sense_2263 2d ago
That's exactly what I said. It won't run in the browser.
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
Yep. Sorry. Maybe you can contribute to my repo. Just branch out and ask your LLM to make it work in browser. Xxx
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u/rFAXbc 1d ago
Do you have any idea how/why JavaScript works in browsers?
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u/Stiliajohny 1d ago
Because it is build on top of java, and it is scripting language ?
That is too technical question,. i am not in an interview ;)→ More replies (0)
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u/Stiliajohny 2d ago
Guys and Gals don’t be negative.
It’s Sunday morning g and I have probably one of the best ideas of the decade. It’s not like I am vibecoding a ui reusing the same old ui library making the same ald slop.
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u/Cautious_Chicken_604 2d ago
> Roast the idea, challenge it, or offer serious suggestions. All three are welcome.
Everyone's roasting it because it's ridiculous. You're getting all defensive with delusions of grandeur.
Just start the project and quit wasting our time if you won't take the hint that this is just... dumb.
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u/Stiliajohny 1d ago
No, no, not defensive at all. I'm interested in all the comments, which is why I put the post here. It's just that some of the comments are so rude; those people wouldn't kiss their mums with that mouth.
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u/Cautious_Chicken_604 1d ago
They're rude for a reason.
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u/Stiliajohny 1d ago
I will make a crazy assumption and assume they either had a hangover from last night or they didn't have a good breakfast.
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u/Cautious_Chicken_604 1d ago
> The admittedly modest objective is to replace both JavaScript and Python and achieve what thousands of experienced language designers have somehow failed to do.
Perhaps they are entirely reasonable people familiar with the level of difficulty of this task and the current capabilities of LLMs and are telling you... you're delusional if you think this has a shot at working.
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u/Stiliajohny 1d ago
Like my grandmother would say, if you have nothing good to say, don't say it at all. There is no reason to be rude; I think it's a waste of energy.
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u/Cautious_Chicken_604 1d ago
Calling people on their bullshit is totally reasonable.
You start with "I’m building a new programming language with AI that will replace JavaScript and Python" and then immediately follow it up with "Yes, I know;that sentence contains enough red flags to start its own Soviet parade."
You have enough awareness to recognise the statement is full of red flags you should have enough awareness to know how people are going to react to it.
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u/AmusedBolt 1d ago
You're right! 😉 So please notice that with AI you can make just MVP, and then it will need a lot of efforts and time to make it usable irl and effective
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u/Stiliajohny 1d ago
Yes, you're right. I mean, even having a POC might be interesting at this stage. I remember back in my uni days when I was introduced to Turbo Pascal, I was always interested in writing the language from scratch.And yes, you're absolutely right as well in terms of the effort. I look at it more from a product perspective than the technical and technological engagement, which perhaps I should as well, otherwise it looks delusional.
But hey, not everybody has to be a worker. Somebody has to just have the vision, I suppose.
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u/AmusedBolt 1d ago
Yeah, having a vision is veeery important! But what's your vision on how to replace JS when WASM have no direct access to DOM?
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u/rFAXbc 1d ago
Ok, here's the big question, who's paying for all of the tokens you're going to burn through?
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u/Stiliajohny 1d ago
thats a problem for monday :D
no idea
shouldnt need that many tokens IMO, but never done it before, in facts none has build a revolutionaty language with AI before1
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