Brugge Blog

The name draws you in, then the concept hooks you: a dynamic language modeled on concepts from Python and Ruby but with its roots (and branches) in Java. Groovy just sounds very fun, to the ear and to the Java-edged mind. With languages like these graduating from “scripting languages” or “little languages” to the more elegant sounding “dynamic languages” in the trade press, there could be some good momentum behind them.

I’m very curious to check it out, drawn in by a combination of forces. From

…getting cross-eyed trying to read and write Perl scripts that look like line noise (I don’t dismiss the language’s power, just it’s entrance fee),

…to using Python as my one language to learn this year,

…to hearing Dave Thomas’ gentle suggestion to check out Ruby just for the ideas it can give you,

…to seeing Jon Udell’s post on dynamic languages’ potential in the new year,

Groovy seems like one to keep an eye on. I’m not far enough into Python or Ruby to enter the argument of “why not just use Jython or JRuby?” but it will be interesting to see how that debate affects the attraction of Groovy.

The cuteness of the name does need to be kept in check - Groovlets and Groovy Beans I can take, but it could get too rich for the tummy if it goes much further.