[web-devel] consolidating Haskell's web-framework scene

[Gour]

Hello!

I'm (still) Haskell noob learning the language with the help of RWH
book and plan to write desktop GUI app (probably with qthaskell).

However, there is also need to put together some web sites and I'd be
very happy to use Haskell instead of tinkering with
Python/Django. You know, once when you get even a small taste for
Haskell it's hard to 'go back'. :-)

Although it might be great framework, I'll be frank to say that
Happstack with all technology that goes along is something which is
either too complicated for me, not practical to be run on shared
hosting (e.g. Webfaction), not documented properly and it belongs to
'noSQL' which is not for me at the moment.

That's why I'm interested to discuss possibility to somehow
consolidate Haskell's web frameworks nad provide something which is
good for practical development, does not require VPS to be used, nice
documentation etc.

If we take a look in the Python's neigbourhood, we think something
like Django although knowing well that it is quite big community, with
lot of docs, books, apps etc., so it's maybe not the best example.

However, Alson's yesterday post about leaving Haskell and (probably)
leaving Turbinado abandoned
(http://www.alsonkemp.com/haskell/reflections-on-leaving-haskell/)
made me think to write this post.

From his post it is obvious that he faced some walls during his
devlopment which he could not overcome. I'm sad that the Turbinado was
not more open so that someone can jump in and offer suggestions. Otoh,
it was also not documented - docs were promised for quite some time,
but nothing happened.

Otherwise, the project had some nice objectives...so, let's learn the
lessons.

Some time ago, Michael posted about Yesod and I read about WAI
initiative.

He is very responsive and I've already exchanged several emails with
him, but being noob for web-development in Haskell I want to learn
more and help, according to my skills, that Haskell gets one decent &
practical web-framework.

The Haskell language itself was created to consolidate fragmented
market of different FP languages. Are we ready to follow our
'ancestors' and in their spirit do the same when it comes to
web-framework(s)? *


Is it WAI & Yesod good start? What the others think?
Any further reference you can provide for someone to learn more about
web-programming in Haskell? (RWH is not very extensive here.)


* I said frameworks because it seems that Happs is in its own category
  and if you read the comments in the above referenced URL, you'll see
  that often Happs is labeled as too complex.


Sincerely,
Gour

-- 

Gour  | Hlapicina, Croatia  | GPG key: F96FF5F6
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