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Add to SafariWhen comparing Red vs Hy, the Slant community recommends Hy for most people. In the question“What are the best (productivity-enhancing, well-designed, and concise, rather than just popular or time-tested) programming languages?” Hy is ranked 43rd while Red is ranked 57th. The most important reason people chose Hy is:
Hy compiles to Python's abstract syntax trees. Python can import Hy modules, and Hy can import Python modules.
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Simple toolchain
Other languages have complex, multi-step setups that beginners often get stuck on. Red has no installer, no setup, no dependencies*, just a single small (~1MB) command-line executable with both the compiler and repl. On Windows, you don't even have to launch executable from the command line--it has a GUI-console.
Pro Very simple syntax
Red syntax is a lot like Rebol. It's easier than most languages for beginners to pick up.
Pro Both low and high-level
Red has low enough access to do systems programming, but it's expressive enough for high-level scripting.
Pro Low cognitive load
Red has very simple syntax that's easy to learn. It gets out of your way and lets you think about the problem instead, enhancing productivity.
Pro Python interop
Hy compiles to Python's abstract syntax trees. Python can import Hy modules, and Hy can import Python modules.
Pro Easier to read
Distinguished between arrays (or vectors) and function calls by using [] and (), respectively.
Pro Copyfree and open source
Uses the MIT (expat) license.
Cons
Con Not production ready
Red is still under development and not considered stable.
Con Still in beta
It mostly works. It's good enough for building usable applications, but some planned features are missing.
