The Journey of Building Elm: Insights from the Creator

⚙️Designing a programming language requires intrinsic motivation and a desire to explore new ideas.

💡There are different funding models for programming languages: corporate languages and independent languages.

💰Traffic acquisition costs play a significant role in funding programming languages, with search engine partnerships being a major source of revenue.

🌐Developer relations, such as developer evangelists, advocates, and community managers, are important for supporting and growing programming language communities.

📈The success of a programming language is not solely determined by its technical merits, but also by effective promotion and community engagement.

What motivated Evan to create Elm programming language?

—Evan was motivated by his desire to explore new ideas and find beautiful insights in the programming language space.

What are the different funding models for programming languages?

—There are two main funding models: corporate languages, which are supported by corporations, and independent languages, which rely on alternative funding sources.

How do traffic acquisition costs play a role in funding programming languages?

—Traffic acquisition costs, such as partnerships with search engines, provide a significant source of revenue for programming languages.

What is the role of developer relations in programming language communities?

—Developer relations, including developer evangelists, advocates, and community managers, support and engage with programming language communities, helping them grow and thrive.

What factors contribute to the success of a programming language?

—The success of a programming language is not only determined by its technical merits but also by effective promotion, community engagement, and developer support.

00:00In this video, Evan, the creator of Elm programming language, shares his journey and key insights on building Elm over the past 10 years.

02:45Evan discusses his motivation to create Elm, driven by his curiosity and desire to explore new ideas in the programming language space.

08:30He explains the different funding models for programming languages, including corporate languages and independent languages.

14:20Evan dives into the concept of traffic acquisition costs and how they play a significant role in funding programming languages.

20:10He highlights the importance of developer relations and the various roles, such as developer evangelists, advocates, and community managers, in supporting and growing programming language communities.

26:15Evan emphasizes that the success of a programming language extends beyond technical aspects, with effective promotion, community engagement, and developer support being crucial factors.