# D programming language

29 Hacker News commenters recommended D programming language and 5 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 11 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** A systems programming language with strong compile-time features and C++-level performance, free to use. Critics cite complexity, tooling problems and a small user base.

## Why people recommend it

- Performance competitive with C++ (3 comments): "D, use dmd for fast development workflows, gdc or ldc for the ultimate performance" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49923061)) "If performance is the deciding factor, probably use Rust, Zig, Nim, D, etc." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45794138)) "Nim and D are very much performance-competitive with C++" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45960477))
- Strong templates and compile-time features (3 comments): "With D modules, imports, static if, manifest constants, and templates the macro processor can be put on the ash heap of history." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46875072)) "In D it's generally clearer because comptime operations are distinguished with such things as static if" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45886308)) "a language whose template experience is much better than C++'s" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46206653))
- Good language and compiler (2 comments): "D is a good language. You chose well." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46873877)) "its compiler is beautiful" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48446190))
- Sensible C-inspired design choices (2 comments): "D following suit with tying its char, wchar, and dchar to UTF-8, UTF-16, and UTF-32 is commendable." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49781442)) "got most of the lessons learned from C right" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48293787))

## What people warn about

- Complex, feature-heavy design (3 comments): "they seem just as complex as c++" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45883584)) "it fell into the trap of adding to many features" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45855560)) "it was already too complex for my taste" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46204683))

## 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, "D programming language", https://hackerapproved.com/p/d/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).