Description #
Crystal is a statically typed, compiled programming language with a syntax inspired by Ruby but offering the speed and efficiency of native code. It’s designed for performance-critical applications with minimal runtime overhead.
History #
Crystal was created in 2011 by Ary Borenszweig, Juan Wajnerman, and Brian Cardiff at Manas Technology Solutions in Argentina. Its goal was to combine the expressive, elegant syntax of Ruby with the speed of C. Officially open-sourced in 2014, Crystal quickly gained attention for its blend of developer-friendly syntax and native performance.
Hello World Code #
puts "Hello, World!"How to Run #
Option 1: Online
https://play.crystal-lang.org/#/r/8lqi
Option 2: Local
Install Crystal:
brew install crystal # macOS
sudo apt install crystal # Ubuntu/DebianRun:
crystal run hello.crKey Concepts #
- Syntax style: Ruby-like, clean and expressive
- Typing discipline: Static typing with type inference
- Execution model: Compiled to native machine code using LLVM
- Common use cases: Web backends, command-line tools, APIs
- Toolchain or ecosystem: Built-in package manager (
shards), compiler, formatter - Paradigms supported: Object-oriented, imperative
- Compilation details: Uses LLVM backend for performance
- Strengths or quirks: Fast execution, readable syntax, type safety
- Libraries/frameworks: Lucky (web), Kemal (Sinatra-style), Shards ecosystem
- Community/adoption: Active but smaller, supported by core team and open-source contributors
Try It Online #
Fun Facts #
Crystal supports macros and metaprogramming at compile time, allowing advanced static optimizations. Despite being similar to Ruby in syntax, Crystal is not compatible with Ruby libraries or runtime.
