Clojure Gazette 124

DataScript, Java, Debugging

Issue 124 - May 03, 2015

Hi lovely readers,

I've thought for a while that Clojure is on the verge of making web applications that do things that make developers in other languages wonder how they were even possible. If we move beyond simple CRUD API apps to using append-only databases that are partially mirrored in the client, it just might be possible.

About seven years ago I saw the " How to build a blog engine in 15 minutes with Ruby on Rails " video. While it may look dated now, it was amazing to me at the time. Why weren't we more productive programming on the web? Before Rails, just getting the database set up took an hour, let alone writing all of the SQL. Rails took care of lots of the plumbing, and now we expect an easy site to be easy to build. Rails changed the web.

Clojure/ClojureScript has the potential to do something similar. Writing a blog engine is now considered easy. What will Clojure make easy?

Rock on!

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Sponsor: ScreenFlow

I make videos. I've tried all sorts of setups across different operating systems. The only setup that works well is ScreenFlow on a Mac. It works flawlessly. It can capture audio, video, your screen, all at the same time.

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The Front End Architecture Revolution video

David Nolen explains a similar vision to the one in the editorial in which a few key technologies in Clojure and ClojureScript can combine to make web development of rich applications easier. It is similar to the vision presented by Brandon Bloom at Clojure/West (Youtube).

Developing ClojureScript With Figwheel video

Figwheel is a game-changer. From the very beginning of using it, I felt the flow only a fast feedback loop can give you. No more reloading the page! No more clicking to get back to where you were. Watch this video and use Figwheel if you're developing ClojureScript in the browser.

Strange Loop CFP Open

I've been to Strange Loop once and I can say being there is way better than watching the talks online. I find going to conferences super fun, but very disruptive of my life. Habits and routines fly out the window. But I think I'll make an exception for Strange Loop this year. The people you'll meet are amazing. If your talk is accepted, they pay for your ticket and hotel!

Composable Healthcare video

This is a great talk from Clojure/West about how healthcare can be improved by rule-based systems that augment every part of the healthcare system. Tyler Tallman does a great job motivating the problems they face developing medical data systems.

DataScript

What if you could have an immutable, append-only, in-memory database with a datalog query engine --- in the browser? That's DataScript.

Decomposing web app development

Nikita Prokopov explains why he built DataScript.

A shallow dive into DataScript internals

A nice introduction to the implementation of DataScript.

Effective Java

This looks like an interesting tool to lint Java code. It's written in Clojure. I haven't used it, so I can't vouch for it.

Cider-debug, a visual, interactive, debugger for Clojure

I so want to check this out. I haven't used a debugger in years, but I remember it being a great way to find bugs.