Gleam's Design and Compiler - with creator Louis Pilfold

Gleam's Design and Compiler - with creator Louis Pilfold

Author: Richard Feldman January 10, 2026 Duration: 1:11:13

Gleam programming language creator Louis Pilfold talks with Richard about Gleam's design and various challenges that came up when implementing its compiler.

- Gleam Language - https://gleam.run

- Erlang Language - https://www.erlang.org

- Elixir Language - https://elixir-lang.org

- Roc Language - https://www.roc-lang.org

- Hadoukenify https://github.com/reibitto/hadoukenify - presumably based on https://twitter.com/dr4goonis/status/476617165463105536

- "Let-generalization: Let's not?" by Ayaz Hafiz - https://github.com/roc-lang/rfcs/blob/e4f05480ed96136395bb466bf5c241e42100bf66/0010-let-generalization-lets-not.md

- "Let Should Not Be Generalised" by Simon Peyton Jones, Dimitrios Vytiniotis, and Tom Schrijvers - https://simon.peytonjones.org/let-generalised/


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Richard Feldman hosts Software Unscripted, a weekly podcast that feels like pulling up a chair next to a fellow developer who’s seen it all. The conversations here are off-the-cuff and genuine, delving into the realities of writing code, navigating tech trends, and the often-unspoken challenges of building software. Rather than rigid interviews or dry lectures, each episode unfolds as a natural dialogue, exploring the intersection of technology, continuous learning, and the news shaping our digital tools. You’ll hear discussions that range from practical programming techniques and language debates to broader observations about the industry’s direction, all through a lens of lived experience. This isn't about polished presentations; it's about the authentic, sometimes messy, process of thinking through problems and sharing insights. For anyone who spends their days deep in logic and syntax, this podcast offers a relatable and thoughtful space to reflect on the craft. Tune in for a candid and engaging take on the world of software, one unscripted conversation at a time.
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