# Self programming language

8 Hacker News commenters recommended Self programming language and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 8 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended as an influential, simple, highly dynamic language and environment that inspired later systems like Morphic and Smalltalk. No recurring caveats were recorded.

## Why people recommend it

- Influential, mind-expanding ideas (2 comments): "The original Self paper by David Ungar and Randall B. Smith is at least as powerful and mind expanding as great LSD" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50151128)) "Self is an old intellectual muse of mine" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49850316))
- Simple design, easier to optimise (2 comments): "the simpler language turned out to be easier to make fast." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49850104)) "Self: The Power of Simplicity." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48870736))

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