A Quick Note About Wheeler

Several people have asked me over the past few months about the status of Wheeler, the programming language I’ve been working on. Wheeler is still alive, though it has been largely dormant since last summer. This has been the pattern since its inception: Long periods of dormancy and then short, furious bursts of development.

Wheeler is not a practical project. It is not intended as a better way forward, or as a better paradigm, or as an improvement in how we program. Wheeler’s sole purpose is to spark questions in your mind. If I am very, very lucky, Wheeler may inspire you to think a little differently about how you program.

Wheeler is a work of conceptual art. Like any art project, there is a vision, and there is also a muse. When the muse is present, things are good. Ideas flow. The path forward is clear. When the muse is absent, the path forward is blocked. I’ve tried to force it. I’ve tried to make the language reveal itself. That only made things worse.

With all of that said, there is plenty of work that can actively be done. I’ve been asked for some sort of tutorial and also for a roadmap. I’m working on both of these now. My hope is that I can accurately communicate my ideas to interested people and get some help bringing what I see in my head into reality.