# CoffeeScript

8 Hacker News commenters recommended CoffeeScript and 4 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended for its Python-like indentation syntax and elegant features. Critics note it is almost equivalent to JavaScript and that typos can still produce valid programs.

## Why people recommend it

- Python-like indentation syntax (2 comments): "CoffeeScript on purpose — it reads like Python but without Python's security surface" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48200160)) "I like CS for its syntax which is indentation-based similar to Python" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45873559))
- Helped JavaScript evolve (2 comments): "Coffeescript was great though, because at the time Javascript was growing fast but the language was developing slowly or not at all." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45844763)) "Coffeescript helped Javascript to evolve the right way" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45845758))
- Well liked overall (2 comments): "Coffeescript was great though, because at the time Javascript was growing fast but the language was developing slowly or not at all." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45844763)) "I really liked Coffeescript" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46262842))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Rust](https://hackerapproved.com/p/rust.md): 2039 recommend
- [Go](https://hackerapproved.com/p/go-programming-language.md): 1254 recommend
- [Python](https://hackerapproved.com/p/python.md): 1067 recommend
- [Zig](https://hackerapproved.com/p/zig.md): 743 recommend
- [TypeScript](https://hackerapproved.com/p/typescript.md): 574 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "CoffeeScript", https://hackerapproved.com/p/coffeescript/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).