In Javascript, we can concisely increment a variable by 1:
x++
Fast, easy, and simple! I tried doing the same thing in Ruby! Alas, that did not work. In Ruby, there is no x++ operator like there is in JS. The reason for this is largely due to the design philosophy of the Ruby language.
Ruby emphasizes readability and and prefers explicit operations over shorthand ones. In Ruby, we do:
x+=1
The x+=1 operation is clear: it increases the value of x by 1. In addition, Ruby has another method to increment a variable:
x = 1
x = x.next
Of course, the good old fashioned
x = x + 1
works just fine, too :)
Although I understand Ruby prefers explicit operations, I do prefer the simplicity of JS and Python. Once you've been coding awhile, you come to appreciate the simpler syntax. However, an explicit language like Ruby is great for beginners understanding the basics. Every language has their pros and cons.
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