Prototype-Based Thinking — The ProtoScript2 Position
Introduction
Prototype-based programming introduced a radical idea:
Objects do not need classes.
ProtoScript2 accepts this idea — but refuses the ambiguity and uncontrolled dynamism that historically accompanied it.
ProtoScript2 is a prototype-inspired language built with industrial discipline. It is statically typed, deterministic, architecturally bounded, and designed with a constant concern for mastering complexity and energy impact.
It is not an experiment. It is an engineering language.
1. Objects Without Taxonomy
Class-based systems begin with abstraction.
ProtoScript2 begins with concrete structure — but that structure is typed, explicit, and verifiable at compile time.
There is:
- No artificial class ladder
- No nominal inheritance bureaucracy
- No hidden meta-object layer
But there is:
- Static type checking
- Explicit structural definitions
- Controlled extension
The goal is clarity without taxonomy.
2. Delegation — Under Constraint
ProtoScript2 remains prototype-inspired. Behavior sharing is achieved through explicit structural mechanisms rather than through rigid class hierarchies.
However, delegation is not a license for architectural instability.
Prototype relationships are:
- Explicit
- Visible
- Bounded
Structures may be sealed. Mutation is not forbidden — it is intentional.
Architecture may evolve, but evolution must be explicit and controlled.
3. Static Typing Without Class Hierarchies
ProtoScript2 rejects two extremes:
- Fully dynamic prototype mutation
- Deep nominal type hierarchies
Instead, it offers:
- Static verification
- Structural clarity
- Compile-time guarantees
Types describe structure, not ideology.
This allows:
- Predictable behavior
- Reduced cognitive overhead
- Simplified runtime models
Static typing is not used to enforce taxonomy. It is used to enforce correctness.
4. Determinism as a Design Principle
Modern languages often obscure runtime behavior behind abstraction layers.
ProtoScript2 does not.
It enforces:
- Deterministic execution paths
- Explicit error surfaces
- Predictable memory behavior
- Reproducible builds
There is no invisible abstraction tax.
If something allocates, it is visible. If something can fail, it is declared. If behavior can change, it is explicit.
Determinism is not an optimization detail. It is a design principle.
5. Designing to Master Complexity and Energy Impact
ProtoScript2 is built around a fundamental assumption:
Every abstraction has a cost.
Complexity is not theoretical. It manifests in execution time, memory behavior, and ultimately in energy consumption.
The design philosophy of ProtoScript2 therefore aims to:
- Limit accidental complexity
- Make structural costs visible
- Avoid hidden runtime mechanisms
- Encourage measurable architectural decisions
This does not mean the language is restrictive.
It means that power is balanced with responsibility.
The objective is not maximal expressiveness. The objective is controlled expressiveness.
6. Engineering Over Romance
Prototype-based languages historically emphasized freedom and flexibility.
ProtoScript2 emphasizes:
- Responsibility
- Explicit boundaries
- Architectural discipline
- Stability over cleverness
It does not attempt to surprise. It does not attempt to impress.
It attempts to remain understandable under pressure.
7. Architecture in ProtoScript2
Architecture in ProtoScript2 is:
- Compositional
- Measurable
- Explicit
- Sealed where necessary
- Open where justified
There are no magical frameworks. There are modules. There are boundaries. There are consequences.
Architectural decisions are not aesthetic preferences. They are computational commitments.
8. Who ProtoScript2 Is For
ProtoScript2 is for developers who:
- Prefer explicitness over convenience
- Accept that architecture must be measured
- Care about determinism
- Want prototype-based clarity without runtime ambiguity
It is not for:
- Rapid scripting without discipline
- Implicit runtime mutation
- Framework-driven abstraction layers
ProtoScript2 assumes maturity.
Conclusion
Prototype-based thinking once challenged class hierarchies.
ProtoScript2 refines that legacy.
It keeps the clarity of objects without artificial taxonomies. It adds the rigor of static typing. It enforces determinism. It is designed to master complexity and energy impact rather than ignore them.
ProtoScript2 does not reject history.
It disciplines it.
Alexandre Vialle
ProtoScript V2 is currently under active development. Documentation, specifications, and source code is published on GitHub github.com/ppyne/ProtoScript2.