The Influence of Self (dubroy.com)

The Self programming language, a prototype-based, dynamic object-oriented language, is gaining recognition for its foundational impact on modern programming paradigms like JavaScript and Java. Despite being relatively obscure, the innovations stemming from the Self project, including polymorphic inline caches and type feedback, have significantly influenced high-performance managed language runtimes. A recent exploration of Self's publications highlights its groundbreaking concepts, such as maps (now known as hidden classes) and customized compilation, which have become cornerstones in enhancing the performance of dynamic programming languages. Self's introduction of type feedback and adaptive optimization techniques allows dynamic languages to perform more efficiently by identifying and optimizing frequent operations on-the-fly. These advancements were later integrated into widely used languages like Java, informed the development of the HotSpot virtual machine, and found their way into JavaScript engines with the advent of Google's V8. The ongoing interest in these historical contributions underscores the importance of Self as a crucial precursor to many current technologies in AI/ML and beyond, emphasizing the lasting significance of its innovative approach to language design and implementation.