I was asked this the other day: Why don’t you just write your code in JavaScript directly? As in, why would you use a langugage that abstracts JavaScript, which doesn’t require compiliation?

That second question is also the answer: I want a compiler, because a compiler can optimize my code.

For Example

Remember our script from the last post? Well, let’s see that same thing in CoffeeScript.

JS Bin

Now I can compile it and get optimal JavaScript.

coffee myfile.coffee --compile

I don’t need to worry about the nuiances of the language syntax nor what “optimal” means for JavaScript. There is a whole community of people worrying about it for me which is put into the compiler.

Plus, like I said in the last post, JavaScript doesn’t really look like other languages. Sure, it’s easy once you get used to it, but so is eating broken glass.

I have a background in C# which is more of a so-called “traditional” OO language, like Java, which I find easier to read.

CoffeeScript, although definitely not like C#, is easier for me read though and understand. The more I worked with it, the easier it became as the whitespace worked in my favour. Plus, I hear people that like indentation languages like VB.NET or Ruby, think CoffeeScript feels familiar**.

**When I say “I hear”, refers to of some of the anecdotal I have had over the past couple of years with collegues. So take that as you will.

But JavaScript Has “Normal” Class Definitions and Stuff

You’re right…in the ES6 standard. Plus, property modifiers kinda go hand-in-hand with class defintions and that is expected in ES7.

I want to support platforms that are out now, not next year or the year after. These platforms came out before that spec, and so they don’t support it. I’d have to use a compiler that abstracts me away from how JavaScript actually works just so I can use language features that will eventually be in CoffeeScript anyway.

Since…

“The golden rule of CoffeeScript is: “It’s just JavaScript”

Coffeescript.org

…I don’t learn to use features that don’t already exist JavaScript. When the compiler supports ES6 JavaScript, the new (more traditional) keywords will be supported there too.

Not that I think abstraction languages that do that are bad (e.g. TypeScript), but I think that CoffeeScript is a nice medium that teaches me JavaScript functionality, with a simpler syntax, while giving me tools that make cleaning up and optimizing my code easy.

For example…

The IE team recently announced the support of ES6 features that are “In Development”.

Internet Explorer is something of a major player on the web, so I probably want to support those users too.

The Point

I like CoffeeScript because it still allows me to learn the features JavaScript, while giving me a compiler to write optimal JavaScript, along with a simpler, cleaner syntax, in my opinion.

This is definitely more of a preference when coding JavaScript and isn’t really necessary. I just find that writing CS versus JS was just more intuitive with my background.

Thanks for Playing. ~ DW