Compare Crystal vs. LaTeX

The syntax of Crystal draws significant inspiration from Ruby, making it both intuitive to read and straightforward to write, which particularly benefits developers who are already familiar with Ruby due to a reduced learning curve. Additionally, Crystal employs static type-checking, ensuring that any type-related errors are identified early during compilation, thus preventing issues that could arise at runtime. To maintain simplicity and cleanliness within the language, it incorporates built-in type inference, meaning that developers often do not need to include explicit type annotations. In Crystal, all types are inherently non-nilable, and available variables are defined as a combination of the type and nil, allowing the compiler to perform checks for null references at compile time. Furthermore, Crystal features a robust macro system designed for metaprogramming, which encompasses a variety of functionalities, including basic templating, AST inspection, type inspection, and the capability to execute arbitrary external programs. This powerful macro system enhances the language's flexibility and allows for more dynamic code generation and manipulation.

LaTeX, pronounced either as "Lah-tech" or "Lay-tech" (the latter rhyming with "blech" or "Bertolt Brecht"), serves as a document preparation system renowned for its high-quality typesetting capabilities. While it is primarily utilized for medium to large technical and scientific manuscripts, its versatility allows it to cater to nearly all forms of publishing needs. It is important to note that LaTeX is not a conventional word processor! Instead, it encourages writers to focus on the substance of their work rather than the aesthetics of the layout. In most traditional typesetting or word-processing applications, authors must determine the formatting style, selecting font sizes and types for various sections, such as using 18pt Times Roman for titles and 12pt Times Italic for names. This often leads to two main issues: authors spending excessive time on design choices and the proliferation of poorly designed documents. In contrast, LaTeX operates on the principle that document design should be left to professionals, allowing writers to concentrate on crafting their content effectively. This philosophy not only enhances the quality of the final product but also streamlines the writing process itself.