"let" keyword in Swift obfuscates developer intent. It should be "const".

Originator:brad.heintz
Number:rdar://17156820 Date Originated:04-Jun-2014 03:10 PM
Status:Closed Resolved:No
Product:Developer Tools Product Version:Xcode 6 Beta 1 6A215l, all OS versions
Classification:Language defect Reproducible:Yes
 
Summary:
Using "let" to declare constants in Swift is broken for a multiple reasons.

First, if "var" is used to declare variables - which is eminently readable and straightfoward - why is "const" not used to declare constants? Nothing about "let" as an English word says that the declared item should be immutable - it lacks simple obviousness of "var", and by analogy, "const".

Second, "let" looks like a hangover from Dartmouth BASIC. I mean, come on.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Declare a constant in Swift.

Expected Results:
My code should be beautiful and intent-revealing, even to Swift language novices.

Actual Results:
My code declares constants using a keyword that is used to declare variables in BASIC, local scope in JavaScript and Haskell, identifier binding in Lisp and Scheme, and some foolishness in C# queries that I can't be bothered to learn. Swift language novices are given no cue as to my intent, and computer language polyglots have to train their brains to overload this vague keyword *yet again* in the context of Swift programming. The heat death of the universe is accelerated. Somewhere, a puppy cries bitter tears.

Version:
Xcode 6 Beta 1 6A215l, all OS versions

Notes:


Configuration:

Comments

Closed on 25 June 2014 with the following comment from Apple Developer Relations

Engineering has determined that there are no plans to address this based on the following:

Respectfully, we are not going to change this.

We are now closing this bug report.

If you have questions regarding the resolution of this issue, please update your bug report with that information.

Please be sure to regularly check new Apple releases for any updates that might affect this issue.

By brad.heintz at June 26, 2014, 5:51 p.m. (reply...)

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