Objective-C is just, like, a leaky abstraction over C

The blog post discusses the nature of Objective-C as a programming language, describing it as a "leaky abstraction" over C. The author reflects on a decade-old perspective by Robert Atkins, comparing Objective-C to Jimi Hendrix in terms of its revolutionary features that are now commonplace. The post emphasizes that while Objective-C introduced modern programming concepts like dynamic messaging and runtime introspection, these were not entirely new, having been present in languages like LISP and Smalltalk. However, Objective-C distinguished itself by integrating these features with a minimal extension to C, making it more practical and efficient. The author argues that Objective-C serves as a glue layer for various programming languages, allowing for interoperability. Despite its ad-hoc nature, the author believes that Objective-C's design is effective, and its utility has led to its dominance in the Apple developer ecosystem. The post also touches on the potential of Objective-S, a variant that removes the C component, focusing on a streamlined approach to programming. Overall, the author appreciates Objective-C's historical significance and its ongoing relevance in modern programming.

- Objective-C is viewed as a "leaky abstraction" over C, integrating modern programming features.

- The language is compared to Jimi Hendrix for its revolutionary impact on programming concepts.

- Objective-C's design allows for interoperability with other languages, enhancing its utility.

- The author highlights the effectiveness of Objective-C despite its ad-hoc nature.

- Objective-S is mentioned as a streamlined variant of Objective-C, focusing on efficiency.