Opening Keynote: MythBuster

Ruby

Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto

Opening Keynote: MythBuster

by Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto

In the opening keynote titled 'MythBuster' at Euruko 2022, Yukihiro Matsumoto, also known as Matz and the creator of the Ruby programming language, discusses various myths and misconceptions surrounding Ruby's effectiveness and relevance in the current programming landscape.

During the speech, Matz navigates through several key themes:
- The Impact of the Pandemic: Matz shares his experience of reduced opportunities to speak in English due to the pandemic, expressing his gratitude for the supportive online community he has encountered in his 20-year journey with Ruby.
- Common Misconceptions: He addresses claims that Ruby is too good to be a scripting language, and he argues against the notion that scripting languages do not need object-oriented features. Matz discusses how Ruby defies these misconceptions through its successful applications in various companies.
- Value of Ruby: Highlighting significant companies like Airbnb and Shopify that utilize Ruby, Matz emphasizes the tangible value Ruby brings in terms of community engagement, joy, and productivity.
- Critiques and Evolution: Matz responds to critiques about Ruby's speed and relevance, acknowledging the rise of languages like Rust and Go but advocating for Ruby’s persistent utility and community.
- Static vs Dynamic Typing: He discusses the trend towards static typing in modern programming languages and expresses skepticism about incorporating rigid type definitions in Ruby. Instead, he introduces the concept of Ruby signatures (RBS) to add static typing benefits without the complications that come with strict type annotations.
- Future Directions: Matz outlines a vision for improving developer productivity in Ruby through better tools, including the introduction of new analysis tools for type errors and ongoing enhancements in Ruby’s performance.
- Community Involvement: He encourages community engagement to foster Ruby’s long-term survival, asserting that modernizing tools and improving collaboration are vital for the future.

In conclusion, Matz's keynote serves as a thoughtful reflection on Ruby's past and a hopeful outlook towards enhancing its future in the evolving tech landscape. He emphasizes the importance of community and continuous improvement, inviting developers to join him in advancing Ruby further.

00:00:04.860 Hello there! I am Matz, the creator of the Ruby language and the keynote speaker for this conference.

00:00:12.960 The pandemic has had several side effects. One of them is that I have had fewer opportunities to speak in English. I have never had a chance to visit other countries like Europe or the United States, which means my ability to communicate in English is getting worse.

00:00:32.340 Over the next 45 minutes, I will do my best to give you a coherent explanation in English. However, I ask for your understanding as I navigate this.

00:00:49.920 This year, I am going to talk about "Mythbusters". But before that, let me share a little about the kind people I have encountered on the internet over my 20 years of online experience. There are so many kind people out there, and I feel incredibly grateful for their support.

00:01:17.820 At the very early stages of developing Ruby, I received an email that claimed Ruby is too good to be a scripting language. The person argued that scripting languages are typically for scripts less than 100 lines long and therefore Ruby shouldn't be categorized as one.

00:01:30.900 But in reality, the power and goodness of Ruby as a programming language allows us to be happy and productive. It can hardly be considered too good to be either a programming or scripting language.

00:01:50.360 Around the same time, I received an email claiming scripting languages do not need object-oriented programming. Back then, many popular scripting languages were not object-oriented. For example, Perl was still in version 4 and not object-oriented. Python, on the other hand, was a newcomer with its object-oriented capabilities, but it was less popular at that time.

00:02:12.239 The sender believed that scripting languages did not require the complexities of object-oriented programming. However, I think we have proved him wrong.

00:02:31.080 Before Ruby on Rails, there were struggles to find a killer application for the Ruby language. Many people told me nobody used Ruby, opting instead for Perl, PHP, Python, and other languages.

00:02:54.720 They insisted that there was no standout application for Ruby. Some even said I shouldn’t have created Ruby and suggested focusing on established languages like Perl for the sake of humanity.

00:03:12.600 They believed that if we concentrated our efforts on existing languages, we could have better programming languages that serve human beings well.

00:03:30.960 Others have claimed that Ruby is slow and that in the age of web pages and AI, Ruby is losing its relevance. People say Ruby is dead or that other languages like Rust or Go have overshadowed it.

00:03:53.040 What irritates me is not the negative comments about Ruby, but rather the unfairness of those comments. In Japan, we have a proverb about a fox borrowing the authority of a tiger.

00:04:11.400 When someone compares languages like Ruby to others backed by well-known creators, such as Guido with Python or Larry Wall with Perl, I appreciate the discussions. We can analyze what each language does well and where they fall short, exchanging ideas to develop better programming languages.

00:04:31.080 However, many of the critiques come from those who don't truly engage with the language. They act as third parties, simply trying to provoke a reaction, which is not constructive.

00:04:47.040 The point is that we must seek out real value. And I found that the most significant values related to Ruby are about community, joy, and productivity—all of which intriguingly end with a 'y'.

00:05:05.040 As an example, this is a list of top Ruby companies created by a friend of mine, showcased by their total market cap value. Companies like Airbnb, Shopify, Square, and Coinbase are valued in the tens of billions, all developed using Ruby.

00:05:27.000 These companies are creating substantial market value through Ruby, proving there is concrete success tied to this language.

00:05:49.560 Another list shows 50 software companies sponsored by Y Combinator. They represent a mix of technologies, with 13 out of those 50 utilizing Ruby, contributing to a staggering market valuation of 52% from Ruby companies.

00:06:06.300 This data is compelling and serves as evidence that we can disregard the negative noise from the internet. As long as we continue to create value, we can move forward.

00:06:23.040 I believe the essence of Ruby lies in its development velocity. This productivity is another area that emphasizes the language's strengths.

00:06:41.220 Productivity enables us to finish tasks quickly. If we can solve these tasks efficiently, this is tangible value—quick solutions that address various challenges.

00:06:59.040 Although Ruby is not the top-performing language today, I acknowledge that its popularity fluctuates. We should not sway with every trend.

00:07:14.040 In the 2010s and 2020s, static typing became the trendy preference, with languages like Rust, Go, Kotlin, and Swift rising in popularity. Even Python and PHP have embraced type annotations.

00:07:32.280 However, in the 1990s and 2000s, languages like Ruby and Python, with their dynamic typing, were thriving and considered innovative.

00:07:51.240 Today, JavaScript has type annotations with TypeScript, and PHP has type declarations. The question arises: should Ruby integrate type annotations into its framework?

00:08:05.160 I don't believe so. Many misunderstandings surround static typing. For one, static typing isn't new; it predates dynamic typing.

00:08:23.520 Static typing has its benefits, such as catching errors at compile time and acting as useful documentation. Languages with strong type inference have a robust way of managing these.

00:08:42.960 However, relying solely on type declarations can lead to complications with software development, as it's fundamental that documentation remains up-to-date and consistent.

00:09:00.720 Using type definitions as part of a program implies accuracy while relying on external documentation can lead to inconsistencies. Moreover, type information aids compilers in optimization.

00:09:24.600 Yet, static typing can be detrimental. As a community, we've experienced writing software with type annotations, leading to redundancies that contradict Ruby’s principles.

00:09:36.959 Some type definitions can be needlessly complex. As proven in various studies, writing down algorithms in type declarations can often be unnecessarily convoluted.

00:09:51.240 For instance, I recently saw a video demonstrating tic-tac-toe implemented in type declarations. Such complexity raises concerns about the maintainability of type declarations in Ruby.

00:10:06.480 There are worries that adopting such a structure could create friction in the Ruby community, leading to an atmosphere where library authors feel pressured to implement type declarations.

00:10:21.960 So while we recognize that static typing has its benefits, the need for rigid type definitions is less clear. We want to introduce a concept called RBS—Ruby signatures.

00:10:32.640 This means we can achieve some of the static typing benefits without the annoying necessity of type annotations. We're also working on tools to support these transitions.

00:10:48.840 Types Prof uses abstract interpretation to generate prototype signatures for applications and I hope this will improve the development experience.

00:11:05.520 Furthermore, we are creating the steep—a signature-based analyzer that will help you discover type errors. This tool will enhance your experience by improving IDE support.

00:11:22.799 The Ruby community is committed to improving productivity through better tools and continued enhancements in Ruby’s performance.

00:11:37.160 We’ve kept moving forward for nearly 20 years now, investing in Ruby to create a better development experience.

00:11:56.640 I invite you all to join us in this endeavor to enhance developer productivity.

00:12:05.200 This talk is sponsored by Salesforce.com and many other contributors from the Ruby community. I appreciate everyone's support, and I really wish to see you in person at the next conference.

00:12:29.359 Thank you!

00:12:57.380 Hi, Matz!

00:13:20.640 The first question is from Luciano. What do you think about Sorbet and the other community initiatives surrounding type checking?

00:13:35.160 The core community is primarily investing in RBS—the Ruby signature system—and Steep, as we are unlikely to introduce type annotations in any capacity in the future.

00:13:52.080 Currently, Sorbet is more performant and complete than RBS; however, for those looking towards the future of Ruby, we encourage them to explore the Ruby signature system.

00:14:09.600 The next question is personal. Are there any features you regret introducing to Ruby? Do you have 'big regrets'?

00:14:23.400 I have borrowed some features from Perl, particularly cryptic global variables, which I regret. Additionally, I regret adding threads to the language early on.

00:14:36.420 At the time, most computers had only one CPU, and we focused on the descriptiveness of algorithms. Today, concurrent programming and leveraging multiple CPU cores is the norm.

00:14:58.920 I believe if we had provided something like Ractor for concurrency at the start, it would have significantly eased concurrent programming in Ruby.

00:15:14.279 The next question touches on longevity. How can developers support Ruby to ensure its survival for the next 100 years?

00:15:27.720 It's quite a challenge to predict the future, even five years ahead, let alone a century. Ruby began as a personal hobby, and it's now a community effort.

00:15:43.560 Organizing our efforts and gathering strength from the community will be essential for Ruby's survival in the long term.

00:15:59.240 Another question from Luciano: Apart from type checking, which areas do you see Ruby needing improvement?

00:16:15.660 I believe Ruby should enhance its interaction capabilities with developers, particularly through IDEs. Supporting tools like VS Code can greatly boost productivity.

00:16:33.600 With advancements in tooling, even without type declarations, Ruby can benefit from inferred typing within expressions, leading to superior code completion.

00:16:49.440 Next, we have a question from Vesa Vanska about encouraging Ruby library authors to provide RBS types.

00:17:07.920 We are actively working on a gem RBS collection that serves as a counterpart to the DefinitelyTyped repository of TypeScript, making it easier for library authors to adopt Ruby signatures.

00:17:19.560 Christian's question involves what aspect of Ruby you currently enjoy working on. What is your favorite feature?

00:17:37.800 I take great pride in having invented blocks in Ruby; it's one of the greatest innovations in the language.

00:17:46.080 If Ruby didn’t exist, what language would you pick? I really like Julia for its unique aspects, but I also have an affinity for Lisp languages.

00:18:01.560 Simon inquires about contributions to open source projects and how to stay positive after years of coding. What is your opinion?

00:18:19.080 I think evolving through open source activities greatly boosts the joy of programming. Writing software for customers can be challenging, but working on open source is incredibly fulfilling.

00:18:34.260 There's a question about Visual Studio's debugging capabilities. How long until Ruby catches up, and how can developers help speed this process?

00:18:49.200 I'm not directly involved with VS Code activities but writing a VS Code plugin isn't too complex. If you possess the knowledge, you can contribute to the open-source community.

00:19:08.760 Finally, could you share what we can expect from Ruby in the future?

00:19:27.480 I foresee several things including consistent improvements to performance through advancements in compilers and memory management.

00:19:47.640 Ruby 3.0 aimed for a significant performance increase over its predecessors, and future updates will focus on enhancing both performance and productivity.

00:20:07.200 Combining these improvements will create enjoyable programming experiences, highlighting the joy of Ruby as a core value.

00:20:24.240 Thank you, Matz, for attending and sharing your insights.

EuRuKo 2022