---
.title = "Roc",
.author = "Martin Ashby",
.date = @date("2023-11-25T21:19:27Z"),
.layout = "single.shtml",
.custom = {"comments": true},
---

I had a go at [writing some code](https://code.mfashby.net/roctorrent/tree/main.roc) in the [Roc](https://www.roc-lang.org/) programming language. It's a functional programming language, which is statically typed, and compiled to a standalone executable. I first heard about it after listening to an interview with it's author on the [Legacy Code Rocks](https://legacycode.rocks/) podcast, and later thought about it again after seeing a comment about it on [hacker news](https://news.ycombinator.com/).

I found it pretty easy to use. I've previously had a go at Haskell and Clojure, so I'm familiar with functional programming, but I've never been entirely comfortable with it. Roc is fairly new, and definitely rough around the edges. I had to compile it from source as there was no binary for linux-aarch64. I ran into a [couple](https://github.com/roc-lang/roc/issues/6085) of [issues](https://github.com/roc-lang/roc/issues/6084) as well while I was coding.

Nothing else to report yet, I definitely need some more time with it before I can say anything more interesting!