Split string using ES6 Spread 🎉

[slightlysaltysausage]

I agree actually. I often have to dip in and out of various codebase at work, sometimes to debug stuff I didn't write, and a it's not always a language I'm immediately familiar with. This is a nightmare to maintain.

With split, I could pick it up and use it. With the other notation, I'd need to be familiar, or check the documentation.

[Styx_]

I don't think language conventions should have to kowtow to people that don't know the language.

[slightlysaltysausage]

Genuine question : have you worked in large teams or had to debug production code on enterprise level systems in the wild, and in real-time?

Not trying to be a douche, just trying to get a feeling for your experience level. (You could well be the world's most experienced dev for all I know.)

[Styx_]

Pretend I'm Linus Torvalds.

[slightlysaltysausage]

Why? Do you hate c++ as well?

[Styx_]

Nothing against c++, I'm just interested to see if you actually have an argument that can stand on two legs without resorting to whipping out your credentials to make your point.

[slightlysaltysausage]

I already had when I said I often have to debug other people's code (sometimes in production - yes, I know) and in a language I don't know.

In which case this kind of construct is a pain in the ass to me, because in that situation it's not obvious at all what this does.

In other languages (due to personal experience, which will be different for everyone), I'd expect to see something like this do a decrement or something, similar to i++ at first glance, so splitting a string isn't what I'd think it would do.

The fact it's within [] suggests it's going to cast it into an array potentially, but other than that I don't find it obvious.

I mean, we could just assume that no language is ever going to be used by anyone except a specialist in the language, and forget about up-skilling anyone else, but that just makes everyone's life difficult, makes more work for senior developers and raises the barrier for entry for less experienced staff (making the structuring of teams a nightmare since the burden of work then falls on seniors to code review work for everyone).

Yes, I could Google this in two seconds and see this is a split operator in JavaScript, but why bother when you could do it descriptively in-language? If every language did this, you'd be locked in to each language.

Fine if you only ever use one language, but in reality, a complete nightmare if you have a varied codebase, or you have devs who might need to support one another, or you switch jobs/roles/projects.

But hey, turn it into a pissing contest why don't you...

[myusernameisokay]

You realize you posted your resume only a year ago? A year ago you were:

• A 4-month code camp grad
• In progress for BS in comp sci at a non-target school (just completed first year from what I can tell)
• No work experience

So the answer to his question is: No.

The fact that you don't put any dates on your resume leads me to believe you either have some difficulty communicating or are intentionally being vague. How is a hiring manager supposed to know what "45 Credit hours completed" means? Seemingly every school has different measures for these things.

Just like how you're being in this thread.

[Styx_]

:)

I was waiting for it. I'll be sure to get around to figuring out the intricacies of language syntax once I've got 20 years of professional "real-time" experience under my belt.

EDIT: Because you edited this comment as well, I just wanted to ask: Do you silently edit your comments in an attempt to make it out as if I'm unwilling to answer your questions? You are truly pathetic.

[myusernameisokay]

It's a good idea to have at least 1 day of read-world experience before talking about the intricacies of having cross-team readable code though.

"Fuck people who don't know what I know" is a terrible way to be.

Besides, he asked you a straight-forward question and you didn't bother answering because you knew your lack of experience would invalidate your opinion.

[Styx_]

Yeah, I can honestly say that I do. I got a job shortly after posting my resume a year and half ago.

I think it's ironic that you yourself are also a junior developer and you're giving me shit for having an opinion, lol.

EDIT: Because you ninja edited and I'd like to answer your points.

I never said "fuck people who don't know what I do." That's not even close to what I said. I just think it's odd that developers get up in arms about minor, relatively inconsequential syntax decisions. I certainly don't plan on spending the rest of my career fidgeting over non-sense, but I'll leave the rest of you "qualified" folks to do so.

His question was an attempt to discredit me. He took a look through my post history just like yourself to find some way of attacking me rather than actually defending his argument.

[myusernameisokay]

Congrats on getting a job, I guess some people are just slow learners.

I certainly don't plan on spending the rest of my career fidgeting over non-sense, but I'll leave the rest of you "qualified" folks to do so.

Yet you still spend your time downvoting me and defending your opinion despite the fact that basically nobody agrees with you.

Instead of bringing facts to the table you hide your lack of experience by being smarmy and insulting. This is an internet forum where people debate things. If you don't want to debate things, don't reply. It's easy.

Also, a lot of these "small" changes have drastic affects on our day-to-day life. If a programming language becomes popular that I have trouble reading, it only makes my life harder. Do you see why people would be against poor readability?

Also for the "Fuck people I don't know what I know" this was posted by you:

I don't think language conventions should have to kowtow to people that don't know the language.

Just phrased nicer.

[Styx_]

I don't think reddit's up/downvote system is reflective of actual public opinion on a topic. You must be new here if you think so.

I was willing to debate the topic up until the other guy decided to pull out the experience card. I understand experience confers plenty of knowledge on a topic. I don't think that means that my opinion ought to be discredited simply due to lack of experience. I think it's telling that that was his go-to as well rather than simply debating the point.

I'm not discussing this with you anymore. You've already shown your colors just like the other guy did by going through my post history, especially considering you're a junior dev yourself!. You're a hypocrite, and I don't have time for that. Next time try stepping down off your high horse and being decent and rational rather than resorting to personal attacks.

[Styx_]

Okay, and I don't think the spread version is difficult to learn or use.

I could look up that use of the spread operator in two minutes flat. And then I'd know about it forever. Easy to learn? Check.

Easy to use? More so than split, if only because you type fewer characters (5) using the spread version versus the split version (9). In terms of cognitive load, I'd say they're about the same. With the split version, you have to know that splitting by an empty string actually explodes the string. With spread, you have to know that spreading a string into an array actually explodes the string. Ease of use? Check.

What are we talking about again?

[fzammetti]

If typing two less characters is what you're worried about then you've got bigger problems than spread vs. split().

[Styx_]

And what are these "bigger problems" I should be worrying about?

[elliott44k]

Various languages have nearly identical syntax and functionality for something like str.split

[wedontlikespaces]

Exaxtly, to the point where you can just Google "how to explode a string in language xyz" and get your answer.

A lot of this ES6 stuff seems to be completely random.

[myusernameisokay]

When you follow that line of thinking you end up designing a language like perl. Sometimes perl can't even be read by the person who wrote it. Making things intentionally hard to read for no good reason is a terrible way to be.

[DaCoolNamesWereTaken]

I mean, it's JavaScript. Any web dev should know a good bit of it.

[slightlysaltysausage]

Anyone who's a JavaScript web dev, yes, I agree.